Philadelphia Teachers Union Offers $25 Million Plan to Save 17 Schools

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers has offered an alternative to the school district’s plan to shut 17 schools, proposing about $25.35 million for repairs, maintenance and cleaning at the buildings. The union says the district has the money in its budget and is urging Mayor Cherelle Parker to intervene to prevent the closures.

The district’s plan calls for 10 schools to shut after the 2026-27 academic year, with the remaining closures phased in, in some cases through 2031. The union’s proposal would keep all 17 open and organize rapid-response teams of tradespeople and custodial staff to address building problems. It says the teams could improve conditions before current students graduate.

The union estimates its first-year work at the 17 schools would cost $25.35 million, compared with $547.94 million in deficiencies it says are documented in those buildings. Union president Arthur Steinberg said the money is available within the district’s $3.6 billion budget. The union says work orders now take an average of 62 days to address and argues that better-maintained schools could help retain students.

The district disputes the proposal’s adequacy. A spokesperson said the 17 schools have about $298 million in recorded building needs, with close to $50 million for HVAC systems at five schools, and said the union’s spending would not resolve enrollment declines, underused buildings or inequities in educational opportunities.

The union describes its proposal as an opening step in a wider facilities effort and plans to release a plan for the rest of the district’s schools in the coming weeks. It has also called on Parker to step in; her office had not provided a response before publication.

Union’s $25 Million Plan Offers an Alternative to School Closures

Philadelphia’s teachers union is challenging a closure plan that would shut 17 public schools, arguing that the district should address building conditions rather than close schools after years of inadequate investment. Its alternative calls for about $25.35 million to repair, maintain and clean the affected buildings.

The union says the funding is available in the district’s $3.6 billion budget and that rapid-response repair and custodial teams could improve conditions while students are still enrolled. It says work orders take an average of 62 days to address, and argues that cleaner, safer, better-maintained schools could give families more reason to stay in neighborhood schools.

Ten schools are scheduled to close after the 2026-27 school year, while closures at the other seven would be phased in, in some cases through 2031. The union says its first-year plan would cost far less than the $547.94 million in deficiencies it identifies across the 17 buildings. A Harding Middle School teacher said the school should have received investment long ago and that students are now facing closure after that neglect.

The district says the union’s proposal does not meet the larger challenges of declining enrollment, underused and aging buildings, and unequal educational opportunities. It puts documented deficiencies at the 17 schools at about $298 million, including nearly $50 million for HVAC at five schools. The union is asking Mayor Cherelle Parker to act and says a broader plan for other schools is coming in the weeks ahead.

Union’s Repair Proposal Leaves District’s Enrollment Challenge Unresolved

Philadelphia’s school district is confronting declining enrollment and aging, underused buildings, and the teachers union’s proposed $25.35 million repair effort does not answer those larger problems. The union wants to keep 17 schools slated for closure open and is asking Mayor Cherelle Parker to intervene.

The district says the 17 buildings have about $298 million in documented deficiencies, including nearly $50 million needed for HVAC systems at five schools. It says the union’s proposal may cover immediate maintenance but would not address years of enrollment losses or provide a sustainable strategy for the school system.

Under the district’s plan, 10 schools would shut once the 2026-27 school year ends, with closures at the other seven phased in, in some cases through 2031. The union says its proposed repair and cleaning teams could act faster on work orders, which it says take an average of 62 days to address. But the district’s stated concerns extend beyond repairs to the use of its buildings and educational opportunities.

The union says its proposal would cost much less than the $547.94 million in deficiencies it identifies at the 17 schools and says the money is available in the district’s budget. It plans a broader facilities proposal for the rest of the district in the coming weeks. The central dispute remains whether targeted maintenance can justify keeping the schools open amid the district’s enrollment and facilities challenges.