FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Contact: Cindy Carr, ccarr@aftpa.org
AFT Pennsylvania Welcomes Esperanza High School Collective To Union
87 Percent of Educators, Staff From Esperanza Academy Charter High School Vote To Join AFTPA
PHILADELPHIA – This afternoon, 87 percent of educators and staff from the Esperanza Academy Charter High School in Philadelphia voted to affiliate with AFT Pennsylvania and the Alliance of Charter School Employees (ACSE) #6056. The Esperanza High School Collective, which now represents nearly 80 educators and staff at the school, is the tenth unionized charter school within AFTPA.
In response, AFT Pennsylvania President Wendy G. Coleman issued the following statement:
“AFTPA is thrilled to welcome our newest members from the Esperanza Academy Charter High School. These dedicated educators and staff work tirelessly to ensure that their students receive the best possible education, and AFTPA is ready to work just as diligently to help them secure better class sizes, higher wages, and adequate resources for every member in their first contract. As we know, our members’ working conditions are our students’ learning conditions, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for the Esperanza High School Collective in their first contract.”
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About AFT Pennsylvania
AFT Pennsylvania represents more than 36,000 professional employees in 75 local affiliates throughout the Commonwealth. Our members are public, private, and charter school teachers and support staff, college and university faculty and staff, and state employees throughout Pennsylvania. To learn more, visit aftpa.org.