The Philadelphia Beverage Tax (PBT) was passed and signed into law in 2016, and it went into effect in January 2017. In the four years since the tax went into effect, a great deal of progress has been made by each of the PBT-funded programs:

  • PHLpreK: Free, quality pre-K for 3- and 4-year-old children across Philadelphia.
  • Community Schools: Public schools where programs and partnerships promote wellness, stability, and learning opportunities for students, families, and neighbors.
  • Rebuild: A once-in-a-generation investment of hundreds of millions of dollars to improve recreation centers, parks, libraries, and playgrounds.

Below are some notable achievements from each of the three initiatives. 

Rebuild

  • 65 facilities with work underway 
  • 41 completed projects—from swings and spray grounds to roof replacements and new sidewalks 
  • 96 diverse small businesses enrolled in Rebuild business support programs
  • 34.4 percent of contract dollars awarded to minority-owned businesses and 25.5 percent to women-owned businesses
  • 42.6 percent of hours worked by women and people of color 
  • 27 Philadelphians accepted into a workforce development program 
    • 15 percent of trainees are women, 100 percent are people of color
    • 70 percent of trainees accepted into union apprenticeships 
    • 17,153 paid career training hours completed by Rebuild trainees 

PHLpreK

  • 137 PHLpreK sites citywide offering 3,300 seats in the 2020-2021 school year, including virtual learning opportunities in response to COVID-19
  • 8,000+ children served since January 2017
  • 93 percent of providers have high-quality ratings in the state’s STARS system
  • 98 percent of PHLpreK families would recommend the program to others
  • PHLpreK employs teaching staff in 241 classrooms
  • Over 2,500 instructional coaching sessions funded for pre-K teachers and providers in the 2019-2020 school year

Community Schools

  • 17 Community Schools with 9,400 children enrolled
  • Over 570 students have received City-funded support to improve their regular attendance
  • 307 students participated in summer out-of-school time (OST) programs
  • More than 7,300 students and families received food, school supplies, and other necessities through Coordinator-supported events
  • 1,200+ out-of-school time opportunities available for elementary and middle school students beginning January 2021
  • Over 250 internships and out-of-school time opportunities created for high school students this school year
View the Winter 2021 PBT Programs one-pager.