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Philadelphia School Board Delays Vote on Plan to Close 17 Schools to April 30

The delay answers City Council’s demand for more time to vet funding questions.

Overview

  • The Board postponed the school‑closure vote to April 30 on Thursday after a letter from all 17 City Council members urged a delay.
  • The ten‑year plan calls for closing 17 schools, modernizing 169 buildings, and colocating six schools at an estimated cost of about $3 billion.
  • District leaders say shrinking enrollment and underused, aging buildings require consolidation, with more than 17,000 fewer students in the past decade.
  • Funding remains unclear as the district faces a separate $300 million operating shortfall, and council members have warned they could use budget powers to slow the plan.
  • The April 30 meeting will focus on the facilities vote and a bond measure, and if approved most closings would start in 2027 after a planning year with transition teams.