Overview
- The School District of Philadelphia announced Thursday that 52 schools will operate virtually on Friday and that students at affected sites were sent home with Chromebooks in preparation.
- Early childhood classes at those buildings will switch to remote learning and all in-person after-school programs there are canceled for the day, though pre-scheduled field trips may proceed.
- District leaders cited forecasted high temperatures and said many buildings still lack full air-conditioning or rely on window units that cannot cool common spaces.
- This is the second multi-school heat closure in under a month after the district moved dozens of schools to virtual instruction on May 20 following pressure from the teachers’ union.
- Officials say these stopgap remote days underscore long-term facility and funding shortfalls and that full repairs require new, recurring revenue the district does not yet have.