Tony Watlington
“We need the classroom teaching to change in Philadelphia,” Superintendent Tony Watlington said.
Mayor Cherelle Parker said no additional recurring funding is coming to the district under the deal.
Superintendent Tony Watlington sent a memo to city councilmembers on Thursday saying without a new source of recurring revenue, the district would not stop the cuts.
The closures would begin in 2027. But the proposal could still change.
The School District of Philadelphia released its initial school closure proposal in January. Members of the City Council and other officials have criticized it ever since.
The Board of Education is slated to decide whether to close over a dozen schools on April 23.
The plan has been adjusted to remove an additional school from the closure list.
West and Southwest Philadelphia and Kensington would be some of the areas hardest hit by the proposed cuts. But it’s not a done deal: Officials say a rideshare tax could save jobs.
Superintendent Tony Watlington said significant cuts are necessary, but stressed that claims the district is riddled with wasteful spending are ‘absolutely false.’
Parents, teachers, and students oppose plans to close or combine several of the schools, saying they are valued alternatives to neighborhood schools
The Board of Education approved amendments to the academic calendar that eliminates half days for students during staff professional development days. Members also approved a wellness policy that codifies student access to recess and bathroom breaks.
School board members pressed Superintendent Watlington for more details about the proposal.
Superintendent Tony Watlington has said the plan will need $2.8 billion in funding. The people who control that money take issue with what he wants to do.
The district remains far from its goal that more than half of students will achieve proficient math and reading scores by 2030.
School board members voted to approve a raise and contract extension for Superintendent Tony Watlington Thursday night.
District officials see the program as a way for parents and guardians to build connections with schools and communities.
From SEPTA cuts to school vouchers, here’s what we’re keeping our eyes on this year.
Superintendent Tony Watlington said the district has cleared 87% of backlogged cases and is working to further improve its investigation process.
As national politics create uncertainty in education, Philadelphia Superintendent Tony Watlington remains committed to highlighting progress in city schools.
Scores for eighth grade reading and math as well as fourth grade reading are basically the same as NAEP results from 2022.