Philadelphia City Council presses school district on plan to close 20 schools
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia faced pointed questions Tuesday as City Council and members of the public weighed in on the district's new Facilities Master Plan.
The $2.8 billion 10-year plan calls for closing 20 schools.
The district says the plan is a path to modernize buildings and improve curriculum. But councilmembers and residents argued that the plan would harm students and neighborhoods.
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Sarah Cordes son's elementary school, John Moffet, would merge with Horatio B. Hackett School under the 10-year plan.
"I just don't understand what this plan is about and what the future is going to look like," Cordes said. "Hackett is already pretty full, and we've been asking if they have the space to absorb the kids at Moffet."
Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington and School Board President Reginald Streater both testified on Tuesday.
"It's not just the quantity of the facilities but the quality of the programming that is funded," Streater said.
Under the district's proposal, 20 schools would close, 159 would be modernized, and six would merge. Twelve closed school buildings would be slated for district use, while eight would be transferred to the city for job creation or repurposing as affordable housing.
SEE ALSO | Debate over Philadelphia school closures draws strong opposition at town hall
The district says factors like enrollment and achievement went into these decisions.
"Conditions of building, the building utilization, and neighborhood vulnerability index," said Watlington.
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers urged City Council to intervene.
"When you take them out of these buildings and put them somewhere else, we have found, historically, it's affected enrollment and student progress," said LeShawna Coleman of PFT.
Most councilmembers expressed disapproval of the plan during Tuesday's hearing.
There was also strong opposition during a town hall at Benjamin Franklin High School.
"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.
The Philadelphia School District is scheduled to present the plan to the school board on Feb. 26.
For more details, visit the Facilities Planning page at PhilaSD.org.
