Philly school board votes to allow the district to explore transferring vacant buildings to the city
The Philly school board hosted a special action meeting and its "Goals and Guardrails" progress meeting on Thursday. Follow live coverage from Kristen A. Graham and Felicia Gans Sobey.
Novales adjourns the meeting
Novales summarizes what the board learned from today's Goals and Guardrails meeting: Keystone scores remained stagnant last year, with literature scores decreasing, she said. And many CTE schools have made gains.
In future monitoring sessions, she said, the board will want to see the data broken down by various demographics, and more specific data about the percentages of schools seeing gains and decreases in Keystone scores. This data will give the board "a more complete understanding of what's going on in the district."
Novales then adjourned the meeting.
Board member Novales asks for more specific data: What percentage of schools saw gains and decreases in Keystone scores?
Board member Wanda Novales asks the district: What percentage of schools made gains in Keystone scores? And what supports are we offering our lowest-performing schools?
Watlington asks each of the individual networks of schools to be read — along with their Keystone score results and changes — with the associate and assistant superintendent of each network recognized.
Novales says she's interested in even more specific data: What schools made gains, not just networks? What percentage of schools made gains, what percentage saw a decrease in scores, and what percentage stayed the same?
Board member Joan Stern urges to district to think about the role creative and agricultural jobs play in the economy
Board member Joan Stern questions how the district is thinking about "the role of the creative economy in the city and in the region" in career and technical education.
"I would like to know what the focus is on developing careers in that part of the economy," she said, highlighting the role of agriculture in particular.
Dawson says they are "intentional and methodical" about how they approach extracurriculars and nurturing students' interests outside of the careers they may pursue.
Board member Lam wants to know: How do we keep literature scores from continuing to slip?
Board member ChauWing Lam asks: What is the relationship between the technical education and the core education for NOCTI at CTE schools?
Mastbaum Principal David Lon answers that the programs work together "hand in glove" and they work to prepare students for the tests they'll need to take to graduate.
She also said she found the geographic clustering of Keystone interesting. "There's not really a concise pattern across the three subjects in terms of what happened last year and what happened this year." She wants to know: What is our strategy for stopping the decline of literature scores?
Board member Whitney Jones asks district to dig deeper into the data
In responding to a question from board member Whitney Jones, Watlington says they do need to take a harder look at the data broken down by race, gender, economically disadvantaged students, English language learners, and other demographics.
"You can't move the overall district without moving kids of color," he said.
Success isn't linear, Watlington says: 'No, I'm not satisfied'
Watlington says that people ask him all the time: Are you satisfied?
"No, I'm not satisfied," he said. Far too many kids can't read and do math on grade level, he said. But the district didn't get here quickly, and it can't fix it quickly. Success isn't linear.
"The district is making significant progress," Watlington said. We're not blaming historical underfunding or "this political partisan nonsense."
Deputy superintendent tells the board: 'We have a lot of work to do in our high schools'
"We're going to recognize that we have a lot of work to do in our high schools," deputy superintendent Dawson said. "We see it, we own it, and we recognize it."
How will the district improve math, ELA, and science performance? Dawson explains: more high-impact algebra tutoring, a fellowship for algebra teachers, and creating math pathways to allow more students to take Algebra 1 in eighth grade. Plus, a new science curriculum this year.
"We're hearing great feedback from the teachers, from our students, and from principals" about the science curriculum, Dawson said.
Mastbaum principal speaks to success with improving NOCTI scores at his school
Principal David Lon from Mastbaum High School has seen tremendous growth at his school, a career and technical education school in Kensington.
Mastbaum has deliberately moved to a NOCTI focus. There's been pedagogical work in the area students struggle most in: the NOCTI writing portion, Lon said.
There are quarterly benchmark exams, professional learning communities to reinforce data analysis and vocabulary best practices, and more.
Percentage of students passing the NOCTI has increased
For the NOCTI, a nationally-recognized career and technical education exam, the percentage of 12th grade students who passed increased to 59.7% in 2024-25 from 56.9% in 2023-24.
Students in most areas — health, construction and manufacturing, education — increased participation and pass rates on NOCTI exams.
District highlights the changes to student proficiency in the three Keystone subject areas
On the algebra Keystones, students scoring proficient or advanced increased slightly, from 15.1% to 15.5%, comparing 2024-25 to 2023-24.
Biology Keystones remained flat — 22.7% of students passed.
Literature Keystone proficiency decreased to 34.9%, a 2.9 percentage point drop.
Deputy superintendent highlights the 2024-25 highlights
Jermaine Dawson, deputy superintendent, is talking about 2024-25 highlights: It was the second year of a new math curriculum, the first year of a new ELA curriculum, and they purchased a new science curriculum (which is being rolled out this year).
Special action meeting ends, and Goals and Guardrails portion begins
And here ends the special action meeting.
Now we're into progress monitoring/Goals and Guardrails.
The board will be monitoring goals around Keystone and NOCTI (career and technical education) exams tonight. Streater and a few other board members have to leave to conduct interviews for student board representatives, they noted.
Board passes resolution, authorizing district to explore transferring vacant school buildings to the city
The resolution passes, six to two. Crystal Cubbage and ChauWing Lam voted no.
» READ MORE: Read more about the resolution here.
President Streater says this is an 'exploratory resolution' that he supports
Reginald Streater, board president, reiterated: No properties are being given to the city with a yes vote to this resolution.
Resolutions are the most effective way to convey what might be coming, Streater said. This is an "exploratory resolution."
"I don't see anything wrong with exploring this, and bringing the public along in a very public way," Streater said, adding that he would be "derelict in his duty" if he didn't explore this.
Board member Cubbage says she 'cannot support this resolution in its current form,' while board VP Andrews says she will vote yes
Board member Crystal Cubbage said she applauds the mayor's housing initiative, but "I cannot support this resolution in its current form," because it limits the district to giving buildings to the city without financial gain, against a backdrop of coming financial issues for the district. Other options should be explored, including selling buildings to interested parties that are not the city.
Sarah-Ashley Andrews, the board vice president, will vote yes, but said any agreement "must deliver clear benefits to our children." Opportunities to stabilize and grow the district's tax base would help the district.
School board discusses the resolution around what to do with vacant school buildings
Board member ChauWing Lam says she "fully supports" the idea of working with the city and addressing what should happen with the portfolio of buildings. But, Lam said: I have a concern that in adopting such a resolution, it limits the district's options.
The portfolio of vacant buildings was recently valued at $80 million by the city, Lam said. "Given the disrict's structural budget deficit, I encourage consideration of additional opportunities before rushing into an agreement as set forth in this resolution."
Board member Wanda Novales notes that these buildings belong to the district, and any agreement must benefit district students.
Councilmember Thomas shares concerns, through aide, about the 'lack of communication' around resolution to transfer properties to the city
Zach McGrath, legislative aide to City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, is reading a letter from Thomas.
Thomas is concerned about "a lack of communication" around the plan to possibly transfer properties to the city.
Thomas wants a separate, independent authority to manage buildings for the city and district. He and others learned about this plan from The Inquirer, which he finds troubling.
Retired teacher questions the board's authority to 'just give away real estate'
Lisa Haver, retired teacher and a founder of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools, asks the board: "Does this board have the authority to just give away real estate? That would be an abdication of the board's responsibility of this district."
The board is supposed to operate independently, not as an intergovernmental board, Haver said.
Haver says: Essentially, it sounds like the mayor wants the district to give her buildings, and the board is playing ball.
Another West Oak Lane Charter School community member asks the board to allow the school to buy Ada Lewis building
Angela Case, a member of the West Oak Lane Charter School community, asks the board to allow the school to buy the Ada Lewis Middle School building.
"Our school is growing, but our current space is limited," Case said. "Ada Lewis would give our students safe classrooms, outdoor areas," and more. It would also mean a positive use of a vacant property, Case said. "This is an investment in our children, families and a better future for Philadelphia."
The Cloudens speak to the board about student achievement and vacant buildings
Horace Clouden, a retired district worker, said there's a "crisis in K-8," both in public and charter schools, in student achievement.
"If you give away buildings that could be crucial to the development of the children, it could be criminal," Clouden said.
Clouden tells the board they should repurpose closed schools to solve for student placement.
» READ MORE: Philly’s school board will consider transferring vacant buildings to the city at a special meeting this week
Parent shares issues with curriculum sharing between the district and the Catholic church
Anne Dorn, a district parent, is talking about issues with curriculum shared between the district and the Catholic church.
"Fear not" the elephants in the room, Dorn said.
West Oak Lane Charter School parent praises the school
Daniel Wideman, a parent and board member at West Oak Lane Charter School, is praising the school, which has changed his and his child's lives.
"As a community, we have grown out of our building at West Oak Lane, and we need change," Wideman said. The charter would like to buy Ada Lewis Middle School.
» READ MORE: Discovery of Kada Scott’s body at Germantown middle school has reignited debate over the vacant building
Kenderton Elementary parent says she is suing the district over her child's IEP
Sashai Rivers, a parent of two children at Kenderton Elementary, said her son was bullied and antagonized by students and staff. She removed her kids from the school, but said her child's IEP was ignored. "I'm currently being ignored by all parties at the school district," Rivers said.
Rivers said she is suing the district.
A retired educator, a student, and a charter school staff member each address the board about a variety of issues
Lynda Rubin, a retired district educator, is tying billionaire Jeff Yass and others to actions against district educators and Keziah Ridgeway and Ismael Jimenez.
Elijah Mahaffey, a former student at George Washington High, said he was bullied at the school. "Nobody would help me," he said.
Deanna Lewis, of Lab Charter, is drawing attention to Black-led and Black-founded charter schools. Lab recently got a $500,000+ grant to bring computers to the community. "We're deeply committed to our academic mission, and to support our community with care," Lewis said.
Former school board member wants students with special needs to be considered in school closing decisions
We're onto speakers now.
Cecelia Thompson, a former school board member, wants to know what provisions will be made for students with special needs in school closing decisions.
And when it comes to possibly transferring closed schools to the city, she asks: Can we sell them to the city "for market value, and not $1? Just to be respectful, I guess, for the worth of the properties?"
Pre-submitted written testimony addresses Ada Lewis Middle School
Of note: One piece of written testimony submitted today concerns the closed Ada Lewis Middle School, likely to be considered in any list of vacant schools transferred to the city. A member of the West Oak Lane Charter School community suggests the Ada Lewis building be sold to West Oak Lane Charter.
» READ MORE: Discovery of Kada Scott’s body at Germantown middle school has reignited debate over the vacant building
Roll called for today's meeting
Eight board members are present at today's meeting. Joyce Wilkerson is absent.
The board held an executive session earlier today
The board discussed developments in the People for People and KIPP North Philadelphia vs. Joyce Wilkerson case in executive session today, Streater said, as well as real estate matters one can assume are related to the special action item.
» READ MORE: A Philly judge’s ruling in a charter case has called into question Joyce Wilkerson’s seat on the school board
Special board meeting, here we go!
Board president Reginald Streater is outfitted in kelly green, and notes that he still has faith in the Eagles.
The only item on the agenda: a resolution authorizing Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. and the district's legal team to discuss possibly transferring about 20 vacant district buildings to the city.
Philly school board to host special action meeting with Goals and Guardrails presentation
The Philadelphia school board is set to host a special action meeting — its last scheduled meeting of the year — starting at 4 p.m.
At the meeting, the board is set to discuss and vote on a resolution authorizing Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. to explore transferring vacant, unused school buildings to the city.
Following the special action meeting, the board will hold its regularly scheduled Goals and Guardrails meeting, during which Watlington will share end-of-year Keystone and NOCTI performance for 2024-25.