School District of Philadelphia proposes closure of 20 schools to enhance educational opportunities

PHILADELPHIA - The School District of Philadelphia is proposing the closure of 20 schools as part of a sweeping plan to "increase access to high-quality academic and extracurricular programs."

The district shared its "Facilities Master Plan" on Thursday, adding that the changes outlined in the plan still need to be approved by the Board of Education.

Which Philadelphia schools may close?

What we know:

The district's Facilities Master Plan would close eight pre-K through eighth grade schools, six middle schools and six high schools, while modernizing 159 schools and maintaining 122 others.

School officials say the goal is to improve students' overall education in the most efficient manner.

The following schools will close under the district's pending plan: 

• Robert Morris Elementary – students reassigned to William D. Kelley Elementary and Bache-Martin School
• Samuel Pennypacker School – students reassigned to Franklin S. Edmonds Elementary School and Anna B. Day School
• John Welsh Elementary School – students reassigned to John Hartranft School and William McKinley Elementary School
• James R. Ludlow School – students reassigned to Paul L. Dunbar School, Spring Garden Schoo, ad General Phillip Kearny School.
• Laura W. Waring School – students reassigned to Bache-Martin School.
• Overbrook Elementary School – students reassigned to Lewis C. Cassidy Plus Academics, Guion S. Bluford Elementary School, John Barry Elementary School, and Edward Heston School.
• Rudolph Blankenburg School – students reassigned to James Rhoads Elementary School, Edward Heston School, Martha Washington Academics Plus School/Middle Years Alternative School.
• Fitler Academics Plus
• Lankenau High School – merging the Lankenau program into Roxborough High School as an honors program
• Motivation High School – merging the Motivation program into John Bartram High School as an honors program.
• Paul Robeson High School – merging the Robeson program into William L. Sayre High School as an honors program with investments in CTE spaces and dual enrollment opportunities.
• Parkway Northwest High School – merging the Parkway NW program into Martin Luther King High School as an honors program.

Additionally, the school will "phase out" five middle schools to "grow the bands of their feeder school where needed, as well as create amor predictable and supportive school pathways for students." 

• General Louis Wagner Middle School – growing Prince Hall School, Joseph Pennell Elementary School, William Rowan School, Julia Ward Howe School, and Ellwood School.
• Stetson Middle School – growing Lewis Elkin Elementary School and William Cramp Elementary School.
• Warren G. Harding Middle School – growing James J. Sullivan School, John Marshall School, Henry W. Lawton School, and Laura H. Carnell School.
• William T. Tilden's Middle School – growing Thomas G. Morton School, John M. Patterson School, and Joseph W. Catharine School.
• Academy for the Middle Years at Northwest

Three high schools will be co-located as part of the district's pending plan.

• Martin Luther King High School 
• Workshop School at Overbrook High School
• The U-School at Thomas A. Edison High School

What will happen to the closed schools?

What's next:

Part of the district's proposal includes plans for the shuddered schools, including converting some into district buildings and selling others. 

Welsh Elementary School and Laura W. Waring School are two buildings that will be "modernized and repurposed" to house new school buildings.

What they're saying:

Superintendent Tony Watlington said enrollment and building conditions were key factors in the proposed closures. 

"We must find ways to be more efficient with all of our resources so we can push higher quality academics and extracurricular program and activities into all our schools," said Watlington. 

Aaliyah Gilbert, whose son just started kindergarten at James R. Ludlow School in North Philadelphia, said, "It's really upsetting. My son really likes this school. It took him a while to open up." She added, "It's a lot of good people in here. It's a good environment. The kids always have fun. Never really issues."

Gilbert said, "The teachers are really nice. They're patient with him. They taught him a lot." 

The plan could affect students, families and employees across the city. 

Dr. Watlington said the recommendations come after two and a half years of feedback from families and the community. 

"We will be meeting with school staff, impacted parents and communities face to face.. and really show we are committed to supporting students and their families," said Watlington. 

Watlington also said the goal is to retain every employee affected by the plan. 

Of the 20 schools slated to close, 12 would be repurposed for district use and eight would be transferred to the city for redevelopment into affordable housing or job creation. 

The proposal still needs approval from the Philadelphia School Board, which met on Feb. 26 to consider the recommendation. 

The public will have a chance to provide more feedback before the board votes. 

If adopted, the changes would not go into effect until the 2027–2028 school year. 

Watlington said, "We have a shot at getting this right in the nation's 8th largest school district."

The Facilities Master Plan is the result of more than two years of community feedback, according to school officials. 

The district says the plan is designed to address declining enrollment and building conditions while investing in modernized learning environments for students.

Philadelphia City Council Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson (At-Large) released the following statement:

"As a proud product of the Philadelphia public schools, former educator and mother of children currently enrolled in our public school system, this issue is deeply personal to me. I have lived the highs and the lows of the School District of Philadelphia, not just as a policymaker, but as a parent and as someone shaped by these classrooms. I recognize that our city and our school district have changed significantly since I was a student. Still, the core responsibility remains the same: ensuring that every child, in every neighborhood and zip code, has access to a high-quality public education. While meaningful challenges remain, I am committed to doing the hard work necessary to address them. I am eager to learn more about the proposed plan while we work to engage families, educators, and community members across Philadelphia. Their voices must guide our path forward as we work to build a public school system that is equitable, fair, and responsive to the needs of our city’s children."

Dig deeper:

The district's plan is carried by what they call Four Guiding Themes designed to improve learning opportunities through better use of space and travel for students.

Strengthening PreK-8 Programming, the district says, aims to improve school's with declining enrollment and weed out schools that operate in aging buildings to provide students and staff with better access to spaces, staffing and resources.

Reducing unnecessary school transitions for students will "create more predictable and supportive pathways for students" by eliminating transitions that between schools that the district says can be "disruptive to learning and community connection."

The district believes reinvesting in neighborhood high schools as community anchors will "ensure every neighborhood high school offers strong, engaging academic, extracurricular, and enrichment programs while providing welcoming environments for students."

The fourth theme, Expanding access to grades 5-12 criteria-based and CTE schools, tackles providing equitable access to consistent academic experiences. This part of the proposal is done through initiatives like adding classes, merging programs, and moving schools.

You can explore the district's entire proposal here.+++

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