Private companies and universities today manage 45 of Philadelphia's 270 public schools. As private managers, they set curriculum and hire teachers and principals. But they are subject to the same state-wide performance criteria as schools that are under the district's managementLast year the district nearly tripled the number of schools attaining the state's performance benchmark, with the number of privately run schools achieving that level rising to 23 from seven the prior year.
But they are subject to the same state-wide performance criteria as schools that are under the district's management