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Philly School Board approves facilities plan to modernize schools, close 17 others
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education has approved a $3 billion facilities plan that includes school closures, consolidations and large-scale building upgrades across the city. FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson has the latest.
PHILADELPHIA - The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education has approved a $3 billion facilities plan that includes school closures, consolidations and large-scale building upgrades across the city.
17 schools slated for closure
What we know:
The vote, 6–3, advances a 10-year plan that will modernize 169 school campuses while reducing the number of planned closures from 20 to 17 programs, according to the District.
The plan also maintains six co-locations and redirects enrollment patterns at several schools through mergers and grade reconfigurations.
Among other key revisions, the District removed several schools from closure consideration, including Conwell Magnet Middle School and Motivation High School.
The plan also restructures several school pairings, including merging Robeson High School into the Motivation site beginning in the 2027–28 school year, and consolidating Lankenau High School with Saul High School.
Other changes the plan outlines include expanding Hackett School into a K–8 model, transitioning Moffett Elementary to a K–4 configuration and repurposing certain school properties for future educational or environmental uses.
The District also retained ownership of several closed or repurposed sites for long-term planning, according to a press release.
The following is the list of schools slated for closure, per the District:
- Overbrook Elementary School
- Robert Morris Elementary
- Laura W. Waring School
- Samuel Pennypacker School
- John Welsh Elementary School
- Rudolph Blankenburg School
- Fitler Academics Plus
- William T. Tilden Middle School
- General Louis Wagner Middle School
- Warren G. Harding Middle School
- Academy for the Middle Years (AMY), at Northwest
- Stetson Middle School
- Parkway Northwest High School
- Penn Treaty High School
- Lankenau High School
- Parkway West High School
- Paul Robeson High School
The plan also outlines major capital investments, including a new high school, HVAC and infrastructure upgrades, ADA improvements, renovated athletic facilities and pools, expanded career and technical education centers and modernized classrooms and kitchens.
Funding will come from a combination of District borrowing and external sources, the District said. Officials said $1.1 billion will come from District resources, with an additional $1.9 billion expected from public and philanthropic partners.
What they're saying:
"This plan is designed to ensure that every student—regardless of zip code—has access to the programs, resources and learning environments they deserve," Superintendent Tony B. Watlington, Sr. said in a statement.
"While these decisions are not easy, they are informed by robust community engagement and a steadfast commitment to improving outcomes for all Philadelphia public school students," he added.
"Today’s vote is about delivering on our responsibility to Philadelphia’s children," Reginald L. Streater, president of the Board of Education said in a statement. "The Board has been actively engaged with communities and has carefully considered this plan because we know that facilities are not separate from academic outcomes—they are foundational to them."
"This plan allows us to invest more deeply in the schools our students attend, providing modern, high-quality environments that support both teaching and learning," he added.
Union to resist
The other side:
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Arthur G. Steinberg criticized the vote, calling the plan "underbaked and unpopular" and accusing the board of acting in an "arrogant, anti-democratic and reckless" manner in a statement.
He argued educators and communities were sidelined despite their firsthand expertise, and warned the decision could repeat the harms of past closures. Steinberg also said the vote was a betrayal by a locally controlled board and cautioned it could reverse recent gains in enrollment and academic progress.
According to previous FOX 29 reporting, the school district's student and teacher attendance has increased, as well as test scores for students in grades 3 through 8. Preliminary data also shows that the number of student dropouts has decreased and the 4-year graduation rate has increased.
He said the union plans to resist the decision, and urged elected officials, families and community members to join in opposing the plan and defending public education.
The backstory:
The vote was postponed last week after school board members, pressured by the Philadelphia City Council, requested more time to review the controversial plan.
What's next:
The District said implementation on its end will begin immediately, with further community engagement expected as specific school changes are carried out.
No changes affecting students or staff will take place before the 2027–28 school year, except for a new year-round K–8 school in North Philadelphia, according to the District.
Each impacted school community will have a full planning year before implementation, and a transition team will support families and staff.
The Source: Information from The School District of Philadelphia and previous FOX 29 reporting.