Butz said he had worked to dispel that notion. "If we are to be successful, it will be by the teachers taking the turnaround process and making it work," he said. "It has to be a true team effort. . . . There cannot be teacher bashing in our district if we are to be successful."
Delaware County's William Penn School District seeks $3 million a year total to help it improve achievement at three schools: Park Lane Elementary, Penn Wood Middle School, and Penn Wood High School.
Superintendent Joseph Bruni said the money would allow the district to expand the use of an approach it already uses in language arts to its math, social studies, and science programs.
The district would also set up mandatory six-week summer-school programs for all rising seventh and ninth graders.
The district has asked the state Education Department to make an exception and not require the removal of middle school principal Brian Wilson, even if that means risking some of the funding it wants, Bruni said. "The school has been showing improvement. . . . We're not willing to move him," he said.
Contact staff writer Dan Hardy at 610-313-8134 or dhardy@phillynews.com.
