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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Philadelphia. Written by local reporters.

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Charges refiled against Philadelphia cop in Eddie Irizarry shooting

The move comes hours after a judge ruled prosecutors hadn't shown enough evidence that Dial committed a crime in the fatal shooting.

News

New crime docuseries debuts on 2018 fatal stabbing in Philadelphia

The killing and trial drew debate about race, privilege and class across the city.

Happy Birthday, Gritty: Philadelphia's furry friend turns 5

Gritty is growing up before our eyes! He's got a girlfriend now, a new tattoo and soon a calendar.

Philadelphia's median income rises, Pennsylvania's falls

But sky-high inflation erased income gains in the city.

Philly school district nears deadline to avoid cafeteria worker strike

A work stoppage among the 1,900 employees could disrupt the school system.

The School District of Philadelphia has less than 48 hours to reach a new contract agreement with hundreds of climate and food service staff to avoid a potential strike.Why it matters: A work stoppage among the 1,900 employees — the lowest paid in the district whose jobs include serving students food and maintaining school safety — could disrupt the school system.

Illustration of a pattern of hourglasses 

Temple University appoints interim leader after JoAnne Epps death

School chancellor Richard Englert will temporarily lead the North Philadelphia university.

Temple University has appointed a temporary president following the sudden death of acting president JoAnne Epps earlier this month.Why it matters: This marks the North Philly university&#x27;s third president this year as the school struggles to address <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="public safety concerns" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2023/02/22/1-big-thing-temple-officers-killing-renews-campus-safety-concerns" data-vars-content-id="3d38e89c-e779-4490-8026-3c8e202ce6b1" data-vars-headline="Temple University appoints interim leader after JoAnne Epps death" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2023/02/22/1-big-thing-temple-officers-killing-renews-campus-safety-concerns" target="_self">public safety concerns</a> around campus and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="falling enrollment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2023/04/11/temple-university-president-joanne-epps" data-vars-content-id="3d38e89c-e779-4490-8026-3c8e202ce6b1" data-vars-headline="Temple University appoints interim leader after JoAnne Epps death" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2023/04/11/temple-university-president-joanne-epps" target="_self">falling enrollment</a>.

Ranking: Economic diversity at Philly-area colleges

Economic diversity is becoming a key metric for colleges to create racially diverse classes.

Pennsylvania&#x27;s most selective private and public colleges have an economic diversity problem.<ul><li>That&#x27;s according to the latest <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="College-Access Index" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/09/07/magazine/college-access-index.html?campaign_id=9&amp;emc=edit_nn_20230908&amp;instance_id=102227&amp;nl=the-morning&amp;regi_id=11442640&amp;segment_id=144054&amp;te=1&amp;user_id=817acbe73d2fbe1aeed0a487492f1805" data-vars-content-id="12d6dffc-50bf-4571-962a-b0aa81be1fcb" data-vars-headline="Ranking: Economic diversity at Philly-area colleges" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/09/07/magazine/college-access-index.html?campaign_id=9&amp;emc=edit_nn_20230908&amp;instance_id=102227&amp;nl=the-morning&amp;regi_id=11442640&amp;segment_id=144054&amp;te=1&amp;user_id=817acbe73d2fbe1aeed0a487492f1805" target="_blank">College-Access Index</a>, published by the New York Times.</li></ul>Why it matters: Economic diversity is becoming a key metric for colleges to create racially diverse classes since the U.S. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Supreme Court struck down race-based affirmative action" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/29/scotus-decisions-affirmative-action-colleges" data-vars-content-id="12d6dffc-50bf-4571-962a-b0aa81be1fcb" data-vars-headline="Ranking: Economic diversity at Philly-area colleges" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/29/scotus-decisions-affirmative-action-colleges" target="_self">Supreme Court struck down race-based affirmative action</a> this year.

Philly schools still losing lots of teachers

An official says poor working conditions are a factor.

Philly public schools are still struggling with a teacher exodus, though it&#x27;s not as severe as it was at the height of the pandemic.Why it matters: Teacher turnover can lower kids&#x27; <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="test scores" data-vars-click-url="https://cepa.stanford.edu/content/how-teacher-turnover-harms-student-achievement" data-vars-content-id="de7347d1-e73a-4f06-8c79-6995db5cf3fc" data-vars-headline="Philly schools still losing lots of teachers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://cepa.stanford.edu/content/how-teacher-turnover-harms-student-achievement" target="_blank">test scores</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="achievement" data-vars-click-url="https://direct.mit.edu/edfp/article-abstract/15/2/332/65045/The-Consequences-of-Leaving-School-Early-The?redirectedFrom=fulltext" data-vars-content-id="de7347d1-e73a-4f06-8c79-6995db5cf3fc" data-vars-headline="Philly schools still losing lots of teachers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://direct.mit.edu/edfp/article-abstract/15/2/332/65045/The-Consequences-of-Leaving-School-Early-The?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank">achievement</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="negatively affect school officials" data-vars-click-url="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3102/0002831218790542" data-vars-content-id="de7347d1-e73a-4f06-8c79-6995db5cf3fc" data-vars-headline="Philly schools still losing lots of teachers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3102/0002831218790542" target="_blank">negatively affect school officials</a>, and disrupt staff collaboration.

A data visualization showing that Philadelphia School District teacher resignations and retirements peaked in the 2021-2022 school year, and declined in 2022-2023.

Extreme heat sends Philadelphia students home early

Many students have their first week of classes truncated because their schools lack air conditioning.

The ongoing heatwave has forced the School District of Philadelphia to close another dozen schools early for the remainder of the week. Why it matters: Many of the district&#x27;s 113,000 students have their first week of classes shortened because rooms lack air conditioning.

Illustration of crayons forming an upward bar chart, simultaneously melting as the crayons go up.

Philadelphia pays parents $300 a month to drive students to school

The district is trying to incentivize families during a bus driver shortage.

Philadelphia parents can make hundreds of extra bucks each month by driving their kids to and from school.Why it matters: A bus driver shortage has led the Philadelphia School District to ask families to alleviate some of its transportation burden.

Illustration of a school bus with a grimacing emoji instead of a stop sign. 

Philadelphia's "megaswing" opening postponed

Construction delays postponed the opening of the new Anna C. Verna playground at the South Philly park, anchored by the massive swing set, by at least a few weeks, Jeff Barg, spokesperson for Fairmount Park Conservancy, tells Axios.

Remember the &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="megaswing" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2023/07/21/philadelphia-swing-set-largest-us" data-vars-content-id="ccb48435-0b21-4335-8cc4-36777106c74f" data-vars-headline="Philadelphia&#x27;s &quot;megaswing&quot; opening postponed" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2023/07/21/philadelphia-swing-set-largest-us" target="_self">megaswing</a>&quot; we told you about that&#x27;s coming to FDR Park?<ul><li>This weekend&#x27;s planned opening has been delayed.</li></ul>Why it matters: You&#x27;ll have to wait for what&#x27;s billed as the biggest swing set in North America.

Temple leads study to reimagine elementary school

The basic model for teaching elementary students hasn't changed much over the last few centuries.

Education

Temple professor Kathy Hirsh-Pasek sees an educational crisis in the U.S. that saps joy out of learning and turns students into rote memorizers.Driving the news: Looking to change that outdated model, Temple is leading a five-year study that examines how to make elementary schools&#x27; classrooms more engaging and playful.

Illustration of wooden child’s play block with an exclamation point

What Pennsylvanians should know about student loan payments resuming

Borrowers must start repaying federal student loans in October for the first time since March 2020.

The long pause on federal student loan repayments will end in the fall.Why it matters: Millions of U.S. borrowers will soon be burdened with monthly payments of approximately $200-$400 or risk going into default, per <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Markets Insider" data-vars-click-url="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/student-loan-payments-resume-43-million-borrowers-debt-forgiveness-biden-2023-5" data-vars-content-id="e0546cbe-d1c8-4e2d-b471-da0649dbe790" data-vars-headline="What Pennsylvanians should know about student loan payments resuming" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/student-loan-payments-resume-43-million-borrowers-debt-forgiveness-biden-2023-5" target="_blank">Markets Insider</a>.

Illustration of a college pennant with George Washington on it and the letters "IOU"

How SCOTUS' affirmative action decision will impact Philly colleges

The ruling could be a watershed moment for higher education in the region and nationwide, decreasing diversity on campuses.

Philadelphia-area universities are considering next steps after the Supreme Court struck down the use of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="affirmative action" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/29/scotus-decisions-affirmative-action-colleges?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=sendto_localnewslettertest&amp;stream=top" data-vars-content-id="8faa454e-46ba-475b-96a9-f4a0411ea4c9" data-vars-headline="How SCOTUS&#x27; affirmative action decision will impact Philly colleges" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/29/scotus-decisions-affirmative-action-colleges?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=sendto_localnewslettertest&amp;stream=top" target="_self">affirmative action</a> in college admissions.Why it matters: The landmark ruling Thursday could be a watershed moment for higher education in the region and nationwide, decreasing diversity on campuses and eventually professional industries, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios&#x27; April Rubin writes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/29/affirmative-action-explained-students-diversity" data-vars-content-id="8faa454e-46ba-475b-96a9-f4a0411ea4c9" data-vars-headline="How SCOTUS&#x27; affirmative action decision will impact Philly colleges" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/29/affirmative-action-explained-students-diversity" target="_self">Axios&#x27; April Rubin writes</a>.

Illustration of a speech bubble with a gavel coming down on a speech bubble with a graduation cap. 

Education 📚