Negotiations continue ‘around-the-clock’ ahead of Thursday board vote on 17 Philly school closings
The Philadelphia school board is set to vote on a $3 billion facilities plan to close 17 schools, co-locate six, and modernize 169, amid negotiations with city lawmakers who are threatening to hold up school funding. City Council members are pushing to save certain schools, including Lankenau and Robeson, from closure, citing disproportionate harm to Black communities.
The Philadelphia school board will vote on Thursday on Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr.'s $3 billion facilities plan. The plan includes closing 17 schools, co-locating six, and modernizing 169. City Council members are negotiating to save some schools from closure, threatening to hold up funding if certain schools are not removed from the list. Lawmakers are concerned the plan disproportionately hurts Black communities. The district has 70,000 empty seats and Watlington says the plan aims to improve academic opportunities. City Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. has stated he will not support the plan unless Lankenau is removed from the closure list. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has proposed a $1-per-trip tax on rideshare services to help address the district's $300 million budget gap.
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