@RRedelmeier

Covering Philly's public schools for @chalkbeat.

 Philadelphia, PA
chalkbeat.org/authors/rebecca-redelmeier/
Joined June 2012
  • Tweets1.8K
  • Following2.2K
  • Followers874
71Media
Rebecca Redelmeier retweeted
Reema Amin@reemadaminSep 3
One of our beloved story editors, who works closely with our Chicago team, is receiving treatment for an inoperable brain tumor. Monica is an incredible editor, but more importantly, she is a mother and a wonderfully kind person. Please consider donating: gofundme.com/f/support-monic…

Donate to Support Mónica Rhor’s Cancer Fight, organized by Arelis Hernández

There is little any of us can control in this world. That’s why we cultivate our c… Arelis Hernández needs your support for Support Mónica Rhor’s Cancer Fight

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Unfortunately, here's a very Philly story: Teachers at one high school dealt with two years of disruptive renovations so their century-old building could get air conditioning. But the renovations created an asbestos problem. chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

Philly once wanted all schools to have air conditioning by 2027. That goal seems to be out of reach.

Even after an infusion of COVID relief dollars and a donation from Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, about a quarter of Philadelphia’s district schools still won’t have air conditioning in the 2026-27...

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A week before school starts, teachers and families have been told they'll need to relocate to a different building 7 miles away while the district cleans up the toxic substance. Environmental heat problems 🤝 environmental air quality problems... chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

Philly tried upgrading a school’s HVAC system. Now the building is closed for months.

Kensington High students and staff were about to return to their building. But because of new asbestos concerns, they will instead relocate to a building seven miles away.

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Rebecca Redelmeier retweeted
Lily Altavena@lilyaltaMay 20
tis the season when wealth inequities are laid bare... Students miss days of school because many buildings across the country don't have adequate AC. @RRedelmeier reports that a quarter of Philly schools are closed today chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

Some Philly schools will go remote Wednesday due to sweltering heat

As temperatures soar above 90 degrees, many Philly schools have “insufficient cooling.”

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Rebecca Redelmeier retweeted
Michael Elsen-Rooney@MichaelElsenRooMay 14
Much has been said about Success Academy the past 20 yrs. But this convo b/w 2 former Success students + current HS seniors grappling w/ what their time there meant + how it affected them is fresh + powerful. Must listen from @BellVoices: chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026/0…

What is the price of Success (Academy)? Former students open up

What was it like to attend Success Academy? P.S. Weekly gives a behind-the-scenes look at being a student at the 20-year-old charter school network.

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Rebecca Redelmeier retweeted
Rebecca Redelmeier@RRedelmeierApr 9
Pennsylvania overhauled its graduation requirements four years ago. Since then, teachers say there's been a troubling trend: Students are getting low-value credentials like ladder safety just to check off grad requirements. No officials are tracking it. chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

‘You don’t have to learn anything to graduate’: Dubious credentials boost Pennsylvania’s graduation...

Philadelphia teachers say they’re incentivized to push students to earn low-value credentials — like a 2-hour online ladder-safety course — by state and district officials who want to see graduation...

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Pennsylvania overhauled its graduation requirements four years ago. Since then, teachers say there's been a troubling trend: Students are getting low-value credentials like ladder safety just to check off grad requirements. No officials are tracking it. chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

‘You don’t have to learn anything to graduate’: Dubious credentials boost Pennsylvania’s graduation...

Philadelphia teachers say they’re incentivized to push students to earn low-value credentials — like a 2-hour online ladder-safety course — by state and district officials who want to see graduation...

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NEW: The Philadelphia school district wants to close 20 schools starting in 2027 to address enrollment decline and crumbling buildings. chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

Philadelphia school district proposes closing 20 schools, affecting dozens more

Some Philadelphia schools would close entirely, while others would co-locate with other schools. In total, more than 70 schools would be affected by the changes. See the full list.

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School leaders say the aim is to give all students better opportunities. But many already disagree with parts of the plan. The head of the City Council Education Committee said he would “never support” closing one of the schools on the district’s list. chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

Is Philadelphia’s plan to close schools ‘going to be a mess’? Students and families react.

One influential Philadelphia Councilmember has already strongly opposed the district’s plan to close 20 schools, which school leaders announced Thursday. Students and families are worried too.

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As one high schooler said: “It’s going to be a mess.” This is just the beginning of our reporting on what this plan will mean for Philly, if the school board approves it. Follow along: chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/n…

Chalkbeat

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Rebecca Redelmeier retweeted
Chalkbeat Philadelphia@ChalkbeatPHLJan 22
Some Philadelphia schools would close entirely, while others would co-locate with other schools. In total, more than 70 schools would be affected by the changes. See the full list. chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

Philadelphia school district proposes closing 20 schools, affecting dozens more

Some Philadelphia schools would close entirely, while others would co-locate with other schools. In total, more than 70 schools would be affected by the changes. See the full list.

chalkbeat.org
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Rebecca Redelmeier retweeted
Chalkbeat Philadelphia@ChalkbeatPHLJan 22
One influential Philadelphia Councilmember has already strongly opposed the district’s plan to close 20 schools, which school leaders announced Thursday. Students and families are worried too. chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

Is Philadelphia’s plan to close schools ‘going to be a mess’? Students and families react.

One influential Philadelphia Councilmember has already strongly opposed the district’s plan to close 20 schools, which school leaders announced Thursday. Students and families are worried too.

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Fewer Philadelphia students are graduating by passing state exams, and more are meeting grad requirements by submitting industry-recognized credentials. Help us report on the impact. chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

The number of Philadelphia students passing their state exams to graduate has plummeted

Philadelphia students are increasingly graduating through pathways that don’t require them to pass standardized tests. We need your help reporting on how students, families, and teachers have...

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Rebecca Redelmeier retweeted
The Grade
@thegrade_21 Oct 2025
Philadelphia’s youngest learners aren’t getting support services they’re legally entitled to chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

How Philly’s early intervention program is failing the city’s youngest kids

When Kimberly Halevy’s son was 3, she started hearing from his preschool that he needed extra support. But more than a year later, she describes the effort to get her kid services through Philly’s...

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Philadelphia’s youngest learners aren’t getting support services they’re legally entitled to. Some families say they're waiting months for early intervention services, putting kids behind before they start kindergarten. chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

How Philly’s early intervention program is failing the city’s youngest kids

When Kimberly Halevy’s son was 3, she started hearing from his preschool that he needed extra support. But more than a year later, she describes the effort to get her kid services through Philly’s...

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NEW: @SEPTA is restoring some bus lines that serve schools after an outcry from students and teachers who said transit cuts made getting to school on time impossible. The city announced that SEPTA agreed "in concept" to restore some service on Sept. 2. chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

SEPTA is restoring some service for Philly students

The city said that SEPTA agreed “in concept” to dedicate funding to restore priority bus lines for students by mid-September.

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Are you a student or educator in Philly? Tell us about how planned SEPTA cuts will derail your school commute: chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

Are you worried about SEPTA cuts derailing your commute? We want to know.

Chalkbeat is reporting on how planned major SEPTA cuts will affect students and educators across Philadelphia. Let us know how your commute is changing.

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Why so many Philly students who say they plan to go to college do not matriculate chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

Why so many Philly students who say they plan to go to college do not matriculate

Thousands of Philadelphia high school graduates say each spring that they plan to go to college. But by fall, hundreds of them don’t enroll. Some advocates say this rising “summer melt” rate indica...

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More than 21,000 Philadelphia students rely on SEPTA to get to school. But if the transit system does not get more funding by Aug. 14, officials say service cuts at the start of the school year are unavoidable. chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2…

‘Unreasonable demands on children’: Major transit cuts could derail Philly students

More than 21,000 Philadelphia students rely on SEPTA to get to school. But if the transit system does not get more funding by Aug. 14, officials say service cuts at the start of the school year are...

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