During a round-table discussion, teachers and local education leaders rejected some of Romney’s education prescriptions, including his assertion that class size doesn’t matter. Romney also identified two-parent families as one of three keys to educational success, along with good teachers and strong leadership.

Local education leader Abdur-Rahim Islam pushed back, telling Romney that two-parent families are unrealistic in the community....

In response, Romney cited a study by the McKinsey consulting firm, which he said examined education systems in foreign countries and concluded that class size was not a significant issue.

While he struggled to win over the group, Romney does not necessarily expect to do well in Philadelphia, a Democratic stronghold. Nor does the campaign expect to steal a significant block of the African-American vote from Obama in what is shaping up to be a close election.

But coming off a divisive Republican primary that was dominated by staunch conservatives, Romney is eager to expand his appeal to independents and moderate voters in swing states like Pennsylvania, where Obama defeated his Republican opponent by 10 points in 2008.

Romney returned to Massachusetts Thursday night for a fund-raiser at the home of John Connaughton, a former colleague at Bain Capital.

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