Strategic Plan Updates

The Allentown School District continued its focus on high-quality instruction, rigorous learning experiences, and equitable academic opportunities for all students. During Year Two of implementing our Strategic Plan: Lighting the Way, A Blueprint for Innovation and Excellence 2030, the district deepened instructional practices, expanded literacy initiatives, and strengthened systems designed to accelerate student achievement.

Highlights

• Increased graduation rates by 6.3% percent in 2024-2025 from the 2023-2024 school year.
• Continued implementation of the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy practices in PreK-3 classrooms to support the District’s goal to increase third-grade reading proficiency.
• Expanded districtwide literacy engagement efforts through Reading League partnerships, book clubs, and student literacy initiatives, including book vending machines.
• Strengthened Algebra 1 supports through the launch of Algebra Labs and Student Success Centers designed to improve ninth-grade Algebra proficiency and course completion. In partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, we have launched a new Algebra 1 Academy for math educators to support professional learning and strengthen Algebra 1 instruction. 
• Continued implementation of the PELP Framework that focuses on the “Instructional Core,”  strengthening the relationship between the teacher, student, content, and task.
• Expanded the Sonia Sotomayor Dual Language Immersion Academy into second grade as part of the district’s commitment to multilingual learning and global competency.
• Outperformed state growth averages for English Language Learners in 13 schools exceeding the state average growth rate of 32.4% and achieving an average growth rate of 54%.
• Advanced English Learner growth from 36.3% to 38.8%, reflecting targeted instructional supports and expanded access to inclusive learning opportunities.
• Increased the number of students receiving the Seal of Biliteracy from 18 to 59, an increase of 227%, demonstrating dedication and proficiency to bilingual learning.

The District continued to prioritize environments where students feel physically safe, emotionally supported, and connected to their schools and communities.

Highlights

• Expanded student mental health and wellness services through increased social work staffing across schools from 16 to 29, an increase of 81%. 
• Decreased out-of-school suspensions by approximately 46% from 2022-23 to 2024-25.
  Strengthened whole-child supports through partnerships with healthcare providers and community organizations.
• Enhanced districtwide safety measures through upgrades to surveillance camera systems and ongoing coordination with the Allentown Police Department.
• Continued efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism and strengthen positive school culture initiatives have resulted in a year-to-date reduction of chronic absenteeism rates by 3.3% from 38.1% last year to 34.8% this year. 
• Created Student Success Centers in all three high schools, with approximately 150 students, where 94% of participants showed a reduction in behavioral incidents. 
• Partnered with the District Attorney’s Office to develop Peer Mentoring Programs targeted at reaching students in transitional grades. 
• Launched an Elementary Basketball League in partnership with the District Attorney’s office, and an Elementary Soccer League, engaging over 585 students in meaningful after-school programming. 
   

The District continued building innovative learning pathways that connect academics, career exploration, and real-world experiences.

Highlights

• Reimagined Building 21 into Bridgeview Academy of Health, Science, Innovation, and Technology.
• Advanced planning and development for future theme-based and K-8 learning models across the district.
• Expanded innovation labs and career-connected learning opportunities aligned to student interests and workforce needs.
• Continued partnership programming with the Da Vinci Science Center, including the Medical Mystery program.
• Forged a partnership with the Juilliard School to provide professional learning sessions for related arts educators and mentorship experiences for  students in grades PK-12 and co-create our K-8 school. 
• Strengthened career pathway opportunities through collaboration with St. Luke’s University and Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health Network, and the District’s Career Academy initiatives. 
• Continued implementation of theme-based schools designed to expand student and family choice.
• Scaled the District’s internship pipeline tenfold to engage over 35 business and corporate partners this year.
• Expanded opportunities for students to engage in dual enrollment, internships, and experiential learning across industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and government. 
• Forged a partnership with the University of Pennsylvania where participating students earned college credits while gaining the foundational knowledge to serve as academic tutors within their local community, with opportunities to continue into a second course this summer.
• Established relationship with Penn State Lehigh Valley to host our AI Summer Institute.
• Scaled our collaborative academic offerings with Penn State Lehigh Valley & increased  the number of students taking courses by 400%. 
• Partnered with Remake Learning to host over 50 community events in our schools, including the Multidisciplinary Project Exhibition, which was designated as a  “MEGA” event by Remake Learning. Through this partnership, Allentown School District will be featured as a spotlight model at the final meeting of the PA Coalition for Career Readiness in June.

The District remained committed to strengthening partnerships with families and community stakeholders while improving transparency, communication, and access to resources.

Highlights

• Continued construction and planning efforts for the district’s Family & Community Resource Center, which will serve as a centralized hub for wraparound services and family support.
• Established and executed School Governance Councils, where more than 200 members of our learning community participated in quarterly SGC Meetings at their children’s schools to promote collaborative decision-making and family voice. 
• Expanded the use of ParentSquare and the PowerSchool Parent Portal to improve family communication and transparency.
• Earned recognition from the Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association (PenSPRA) and National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) for excellence in public relations and stakeholder engagement.
  • PenSPRA Gold Medallion: Crisis Communication Beyond the first 48 Hours (Harrison Morton Middle School Flood Response) 
  • PenSPRA Publications and Digital Media Awards of Excellence 
    • Social Media: Never Grow Up (Graduation Class of 2025 Promotion with PreK) 
    • Video: Juilliard Testimonials & Professional Learning Highlights 
    • Writing: What We Learn in the Fire: Emerging into the Light   
  • Designated a Superintendent to Watch for 2025 by the National School Public Relations Association
  • NSPRA Excellence in Writing: What We Learn in the Fire: Emerging into the Light   
• Continued strengthening relationships with faith leaders, nonprofit organizations, and community partners to support student success beyond the classroom.
• Expanded two-way communication with key stakeholder groups, including the Superintendent’s: Family Advisory Council, Interfaith Advisory Council, Student Advisory Council, and Business Advisory Council
• Increased Interpretation services during the 2025-2026 school year by more than 36%.

The district continued investing in talent development, leadership pathways, recruitment strategies, and professional learning opportunities for employees across the organization.

Highlights

• Expanded leadership development opportunities through the New Leaders Breakthrough and Emerging Leaders cohorts, where 55% of program participants have been hired in full-time roles. 
• Highlighted educator innovation and leadership through the Catalytic Ambassadors capstone projects.
• Celebrated more than 200 employees as a part of our You Are the Light recognition program. 
• Launched the Faculty Advisory Council representing all employee groups. 
• Continued implementation of the Paraprofessional Referral Program and the Elevar Emerging Educators pipeline to support teacher recruitment and retention.
• Increased diversity in our workforce by 23%.  
• Selected as one of only two districts in Pennsylvania to participate in Penn GSE’s PASS initiative, which is supported by a $1 million Google.org investment.
• Increased employee incentive offerings by 800% from 5 incentives to 35 opportunities in various categories ranging from tuition reimbursement to entertainment, to travel and financial services. 
• Partnered with local healthcare providers to offer gym memberships to all employees at no cost. 
• Brokered a relationship with University of Pennsylvania’s Project HERO to strengthen educator resilience, improve teacher retention, and support positive school culture through data-driven professional learning and leadership development.

The District continued modernizing operational systems, strengthening fiscal stewardship, and improving organizational effectiveness.

Highlights

• Established data dashboards to monitor attendance, student performance, and key performance indicators in real time.
• Continued updates and modernization efforts related to the District’s Student Information System (SIS).
• Maintained fiscal stability through a balanced 2025-2026 budget.
• Proposed a balanced 2026-2027 budget focused on sustaining student services and operational needs 
• Recommending a Senior Tax Benefit Program.  
• Achieved savings through bond refinancing efforts and strategic fiscal management.
• Received recognition related to transportation services, including the Tyler Award and operational surplus achievements.
• Continued long-range planning efforts for new school construction and facilities modernization projects.
• Broke ground on our new East Side K-8 Academy and Family and Community Resource Center. 
• Began design and engineering phases to expand Bridgeview Academy, with plans to create a 6-12 school. 
• Secured land to support the replacement of Union Terrace Elementary School and Raub Middle School adjacent to the Union Terrace athletic fields.
• Garnered a total of $25,524,826.92, which consists of a combination of competitive grant awards, in-kind technology and curriculum grants, community-driven donations, and in-kind partner programming.
  • Individual School Contributions: Schools have secured $5.12 million in monetary and in-kind contributions and grants.
  • Major Learning Initiatives & Infrastructure: District Offices secured over $5.8 million in high-quality curriculum and IT assets, and over $8.3 million in competitive monetary grants like CSI and the 21st Century Program.
  • Partner Programming: We have received $5.75 million of in-kind community programming providing access to essential mental health services, academic support, and enrichment.
  • Digital Equity & Secondary Innovation: Through the VILS program, Dieruff High School and William Allen High School
  • Wellness & Athletics: Private partnerships, led by St. Luke’s University Health Network, contributed $400,000 to support student-athlete safety and program sustainability.

Technology and innovation remained central to the District’s efforts to create future-ready learning environments.

Highlights

• Expanded partnerships & professional learning to support innovation and educational technology, including Google Gemini, through collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania’s Pioneering AI in School Systems (PASS). 
• Continued implementation of the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools (VILS) initiative with a 2:1 device rollout across middle schools and Bridgeview Academy and received designation for expansion at William Allen High School and Louis E. Dieruff High School for the 2026-2027 school year. 
• Secured $3.4 million in federal E-Rate funding to strengthen cybersecurity protections, digital infrastructure, and network security.  
• Continued districtwide efforts to ensure students and staff have access to modern learning tools and digital citizenship instruction.
• Piloted Coursemojo, an AI-powered ELA tutor with all sixth grade English Language Arts classrooms across the district impacting over 1,000 Grade 6 students.