School Management
Philadelphia district leaders said they wanted more equitable admissions policies for magnet schools like Masterman. An appeals court found that approach may be discriminatory.
School leaders will host a virtual and in-person meeting for each school they propose closing.
The district’s proposal to close 20 schools has drawn opposition from City Council members, parents, alumni, and educators, who see the schools as integral resource hubs and safe spaces in their communities.
It’ll be the third straight day the district has kept school buildings closed following a snowstorm in the region.
If weather requires schools to stay closed after Monday, students will learn remotely.
The nearly $90 million building has space for more than 1,000 students.
Roughly 90% of high schoolers who weren’t on track to graduate by the end of 9th grade stayed off track in 10th grade, according to a November district analysis.
Mayor Cherelle Parker has publicly said she wants to use vacant buildings for housing. The school board approved a resolution saying it will look into it.
Researchers say high-impact tutoring programs can work to boost achievement — but only if students get enough tutoring time each week.
At a Chalkbeat event in Germantown, city residents said they want district leaders to give serious weight to community feedback in their closure plan.
Philadelphia school leaders said Tuesday they won’t publish recommendations this month of which schools to close, pushing back a long-awaited deadline.
Students say less-reliable transit will make them late for class. Teachers say they’ve received little guidance about what to do when that happens.
Renovations at the reopened school included adding wall and ceiling paneling throughout the 115-year-old building to protect staff and students from asbestos exposure.
Despite the judge’s ruling, officials at American Paradigm Schools charter network, which operates Memphis Street Academy, say they expect to continue to operate the school this fall.
SEPTA plans to reduce its service by 20% beginning in August. If those cuts go through, transportation officials say more than 55,000 Philadelphia students who rely on the public transit system will have a more difficult time getting to school.
The district ‘knowingly and regularly’ failed to make necessary asbestos repairs and endangered students, according to federal officials.
Universal Vare Charter School will not pursue renewing its charter agreement. District officials have not said whether they will take over the school or shutter it.
Students at the Academy at Palumbo report broken bathrooms, poor ventilation, and rodents in their school and are urging the school district to make needed repairs.
Federal programs created under the Inflation Reduction Act were starting to help Philly schools meet costs of installing renewable energy systems to address health concerns exacerbated by climate change. The Trump administration has put those funds in jeopardy.
Akira Drake Rodriguez, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses how school closures in Philadelphia affect neighborhoods.