The Freire network of charter schools was founded in 1999 with the opening of Freire Charter School in Philadelphia, PA. For sixteen years this school was led by the dynamic Kelly Davenport, Ed.D., during which time Freire became one of the highest-performing high schools in Philadelphia. Kelly assembled a dedicated central administrative team to ensure that Freire’s students were receiving the highest-quality education possible. This central office team was comprised of experts in the fields of finance, performance management, and public administration – all with a shared commitment to the mission of empowering urban youth to build their future through education.
With the opening of our third campus, Freire Charter School Wilmington, in fall 2015, it became necessary to form a separate legal entity to provide support services to all Freire schools, current and future. On July 1, 2015, Build the Future Education Collaborative came into being to serve in this role, led by Executive Director Kelly Davenport and staffed by the previous central office staff of Freire Charter School.
Build the Future now supports all four Freire campuses in Philadelphia and Wilmington, while providing occasional services to other educational organizations. Build the Future is guided in all of our work by our mission – to serve urban, predominately low-income students to further their achievement, advancement, and joy in school, society, and life.
Freire Schools Address
2027 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA United States