Skip to content
Video

Philly could close 20 schools. Here's what to know

There’s a new 2.8 billion dollar plan for the Philadelphia School District that proposes closing 20 schools, moving 6 and renovating more than 100 others. The new 10-year plan proposed by Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. is more than just school closures. It has three main goals: Pushing higher quality academic and extracurricular programming Addressing under and over-enrolled schools And efficiently using all resources across the district Watlington argues that in order to make sure students get access to more programming and better education, consolidation is key. But the proposal to close 20 schools is obviously a big deal and has received pushback. The school board will vote to approve the proposal this winter. If approved, no changes would take effect until the 2027/28 school year. But there is still the $2.8 billion price tag. And not all of it is shored up. $1 billion will be covered by district capital funds, but the remaining $1.8 billion is dependent on state and philanthropic support, neither of which is a given. And if the extra money doesn’t come through, revisions would have to be made.
Published 
    Ariane Datil
    Instagram
    Bluesky
    Threads
    I create lifestyle and culture videos about what makes Philly a great place to live, work, and play while spotlighting Inquirer reporting across social platforms, helping people see how our work connects to their world.
    Felicia Gans Sobey
    Bluesky
    Threads
    I'm the Senior Editor for Local and Regional, leading two distinct teams with a mission to expand Inquirer journalism deeper into South Jersey and the Pa. suburbs.