Philadelphia, August 9, 2016 – The Mayor’s Office of Education today launched a new website offering vital information about the Administration’s key education initiatives: expanding quality pre-K, creating community schools, and promoting career and technical education opportunities.

Developed by the City’s Office of Open Data and Digital Transformation (ODDT), the website at www.phila.gov/education also features a range of resources on programs such as free computer access through KEYSPOTS, college prep, adult education, and the “Read by 4^th!” literacy initiative.

“Our new website offers terrific educational resources for Philadelphians of all ages,” said Otis Hackney, Chief Education Officer for the City of Philadelphia. “Our programs are advancing quickly and we look forward to using this platform to update the public along the way as well as provide opportunities to get involved.”

Getting involved is a key feature of the website because it is critical to the success of the programs.  For initiatives such as quality pre-K and community schools, the site offers links for those who are interested in direct participation.  For example, residents can sign up for newsletters on the initiatives and get information about enrollment and partnership opportunities.

The Office of Education website is part of a larger citywide initiative to make government services more accessible online. Headed by ODDT, alpha.phila.gov is a prototype being built alongside the City’s current website, www.phila.gov so that public feedback can be incorporated throughout the design and development process. The team is performing research to inform design, writing content that is more understandable, and developing standards and tools to scale the effort.

“The new website provides a mobile-friendly experience with content and resources that are easy to navigate.” said Chief Administrative Officer Rebecca Rhynhart, who oversees the ODDT team. “We’re happy to partner with the Office of Education to make such important information accessible to more Philadelphians.”

The site also includes links to blog posts and press releases from the Office of Education, as well as a calendar of events, including Twitter chats with officials and community roundtable discussions.

View the Mayor’s Office of Education’s website at www.phila.gov/education.