Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Teachers Union Unveils Plan to Repair 17 Schools Instead of Closing Them

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers unveiled a plan on Wednesday morning to renovate the 17 schools the district plans to close, at a first year cost of $25 million, instead of shutting them. Union president Arthur Steinberg said the money would improve the building quality of all 17 schools in the first year, according to the union's own calculation of renovation costs.

"By utilizing our plan right now, it will give families a clear indication that the facilities are going to improve," Steinberg said. "There's less reason for them to leave and more hope for them to stay in their neighborhood schools." NBC10 Philadelphia reported before the 10:30 a.m. news conference that the union, which represents nearly 15,000 educators, says its plan could be carried out with funds the state and city have already appropriated to the district, with no capital borrowing and no midyear budget ordinance.

The plan the union is fighting

The Board of Education approved the district's $3 billion facilities plan in April. The plan renovates nearly 170 buildings and closes 17 schools, a response to falling enrollment, half empty buildings, and dozens of schools that need expensive work on old plumbing, asbestos and lead paint. Teachers, students and several City Council members have spent more than a year trying to stop the closures, arguing that schools hold neighborhoods together.

The union proposal does not cover the district's other buildings, more than 200 in all, and it gives no total cost beyond the first year of renovations. Union leaders say they will need more support, and more funding, to move it forward.

A hard road at the district

Support from the district and the board looks unlikely, Chalkbeat reported. Superintendent Tony Watlington has already begun rolling out transition teams to the schools set to close, and district officials have not wavered when council members threatened to sue, pull district funding or hold hearings. "We really have no other choice but to ask the mayor to intervene with and talk to the district," Steinberg said.

Mayor Cherelle Parker has said she supports the school closures and has not been vocal on the issue. She appointed the Board of Education members who approved the plan.

Why the timing matters

Steinberg said the timing is urgent because Philadelphia families are choosing schools for next school year through the district's school selection process, which ends November 24. He said he worries many families will opt to leave the district if the closures move forward.

Money is the obstacle on both sides. The district does not have the funding for its own $3 billion plan and is counting on raising $2 billion from local, state and federal sources. State funding may come easier next year after Democrats won control of state government in the midterm elections. State Senator Vince Hughes said funding school infrastructure is unfinished business that will be a priority when the next legislative session starts in January, and pointed to the $1 billion Program for Critical Infrastructure that Governor Josh Shapiro proposed for 2026-27 but was not included in the final budget.