The proposal calls for modernizing more than 100 schools while permanently closing nearly two dozen others.
Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington said the plan is still open to revisions.
Two additional public meetings are scheduled before the school board begins to formally consider it at the meeting on February 26.
SEE ALSO | Philadelphia City Council presses school district on plan to close 20 schools
City council presses school district on plan to close 20 schools
Opposition to the plan was evident at a town hall on Tuesday night at Ben Franklin High School, where many attendees said the closures would harm communities rather than help them.
"To just close schools, it isn't right. It's not gonna make us whole. It's not going to improve anything, and it's a land grab," said Leah Clouden of West Philadelphia.
Watlington's proposal would close 20 school buildings, modernize 159 others and merge six schools. The superintendent has said the plan is intended to build on gains in student achievement while managing limited resources in the School District of Philadelphia.
Under the plan, 12 of the closed school buildings would remain slated for district use, while eight would be transferred to the city for job creation or affordable housing.
Watlington said the changes would also help address overcrowding at some schools, even as the district faces under-enrollment citywide.
"The hard part for us is that in a district where we've been historically underfunded, we've gotta find some ways to tighten our belt," Watlington said.
Watlington also got candid at one point during the meeting, discussing the community feedback and survey responses gathered that helped to inform his recommendations.
"In full transparency, we didn't see a lot of parents or community members raise their hands and say, 'We recommend closing my school.' We are very clear that people want all of their schools modernized. The challenge is that we don't have enough resources or a large enough student base in district-operated schools to invest heavily in all schools," Watlington said.
Criticism of the proposal also surfaced earlier in the day during a City Council meeting, where dozens of residents and council members raised concerns.
Councilmember Jamie Gauthier attended the town hall in the evening after the hours-long council meeting earlier.
"One of the biggest problems I have with this plan is that it suggests closing in the near term, small programs that people intentionally chose because they wanted a small, tailored environment," Gauthier said.
Watlington has maintained that the planning process has been equitable, a claim Gauthier also questioned. Parents and teachers echoed similar concerns during public comment.
"It also tells our many Black and brown students that even your school can be taken away from you," one speaker said.
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers said the plan lacks transparency and is urging City Council to compel the school district to release more data and information used to develop the proposal.
Upcoming town halls will be held on February 20 at Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m, and on February 22, virtually at 2 p.m.