Lansdowne, PA – May 19, 2026

The William Penn School District community gathered on Monday, May 18th, at Evans Elementary School to celebrate an important milestone: WPSD’s recognition in the Education Recovery Scorecard as a national “District on the Rise” in mathematics growth. The video of the press conference can be viewed here.

The Education Recovery Scorecard, led by researchers at Harvard University and Stanford University, examines student academic recovery and growth using nationally comparable data following the pandemic.

The report found that WPSD students are making strong academic gains compared to similar districts nationwide. The district ranked in the 88th percentile nationally in student learning rates, earned national recognition for mathematics growth, and demonstrated strong progress from 2022 to 2025, including significant gains in English Language Arts.

The press conference brought together district leaders, educators, students, elected officials, union representatives, and community members to reflect on the work behind the district’s progress and the continued importance of investing in public education.

“This work required planning, teamwork, consistency, and a steadfast belief in the potential of our students,” said Tara Brown, WPSD Chief of Schools.

Throughout the morning, speakers emphasized that the district’s progress reflects years of intentional work focused on strengthening instruction, expanding intervention supports, increasing collaboration among educators, and using student data to shape instruction and support student growth.

Ed Dunn, Supervisor of Math Curriculum and Support, highlighted the teamwork behind the district’s mathematics growth.

“The numbers in this study are important, but behind every statistic is a student who is growing, learning, and believing more in themselves,” Dunn said.

Evans Elementary fourth grade teacher Grace Ferrell spoke about the strong culture of support and collaboration across schools throughout the district.

“When students begin to believe they can succeed, you start to see real growth happen,” Ferrell said.

One of the most memorable moments of the event came from fifth grade student Jackie Cheng, who shared her own experience and thanked her teachers for helping her gain confidence as a learner.

“At first, some things were difficult for me, but my teachers helped me keep trying and helped me believe in myself,” Jackie said.

Several elected officials also spoke about the district’s progress and the impact of equitable school funding and continued investment in public education.

Representative Gina Curry praised the district’s growth and the dedication of its educators and students.

“We have been standing behind this podium time after time talking about school investment and how important it is — and today we see the results,” Curry said.

Senator Tim Kearney described WPSD’s progress as an important example during ongoing education funding discussions in Harrisburg.

“The court case and the results here could tell you it is about the money,” Kearney said.

Senator Anthony Hardy Williams called the district’s success “a statement about what you can do in public education” when resources are invested responsibly to support students.

“This district fought discriminatory funding policies for generations – and won,” Williams said.

Speaker Joanna McClinton emphasized that while significant progress has been made, there is still more work ahead to ensure fully fair funding for schools across Pennsylvania.

Superintendent Dr. Eric J. Becoats closed the event by reflecting on the shared responsibility of supporting students and continuing to move student achievement forward across the district.

Speaking both as superintendent and as a parent, Becoats emphasized the importance of ensuring students have the support and opportunities they need to succeed.

“I stand here as your superintendent, but more importantly, I stand here as a father,” Becoats said. “And when I look at each one of you students, that’s who I think about when I wake up in the morning.”

He described the district community as “family” united around a common purpose: building on the progress highlighted in the Education Recovery Scorecard while continuing the important work still ahead to support student achievement and opportunity across WPSD.

His remarks reflected a message shared throughout the morning: meaningful student growth happens when schools, families, educators, and communities work together, believe in what students can achieve, and continue advocating for the resources and support students need to succeed. For WPSD, the recognition is both a celebration of progress and a reminder that the work and the momentum continue.