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Philadelphia Schools Unveil Deep Cuts to Close $300 Million Gap, Preserve Teaching Jobs

The proposal centers on staff reassignments, central-office reductions, program cuts ahead of a March 26 budget presentation.

Overview

  • The district plans to reassign 340 school-based employees and eliminate 220 building substitute roles, moves projected to save $56 million.
  • About 130 vacant central-office positions would be cut with a hiring freeze, plus trimmed contracts and other efficiencies for roughly $169 million in savings.
  • Two targeted improvement efforts — the Acceleration Network and the System of Great Schools — would be ended as part of the cost-cutting plan.
  • Officials say no classroom teachers will be laid off, though they acknowledge the possibility of larger class sizes as principals finalize school budgets.
  • The budget will be presented to the Board of Education on March 26 with a final vote slated for May 29, and leaders say the cuts do not reduce staff at the 18 schools proposed for closure under a separate facilities plan.