Philadelphia School District Proposes Sweeping School Closures

City Council members raise concerns over disproportionate impact on Black and Latino students

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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The Philadelphia School District has released a proposal to close 20 schools as part of a $2.8 billion facilities plan, drawing criticism from City Council members who argue the closures will disproportionately affect Black and Latino students. The district says the plan is necessary to modernize schools, but council members are concerned about the rushed timeline, transportation issues, and lack of community input.

Why it matters

School closures can have significant impacts on students, families, and communities, especially in districts with large minority populations. The Philadelphia proposal highlights the complex tradeoffs involved in facilities planning and the need to carefully consider equity impacts.

The details

The district's Facilities Planning Process recommends closing 20 schools and modernizing 159 others, with the changes taking effect in the 2027-28 school year. The $2.8 billion plan would be funded through district resources and philanthropy. However, City Council members raised concerns that the closures will disproportionately affect Black and Latino students, who make up nearly 50% and a third of the district's population respectively. Council members also criticized the district's opaque decision-making process and rushed timeline, and warned that the plan could face opposition from state legislators unwilling to provide the $1.8 billion in needed funding.

  • The district released its school closure recommendations on January 22, 2026.
  • The final Facilities Plan will be presented at the district's school board meeting on February 26, 2026.
  • The proposed school closures would take effect in the 2027-28 school year.

The players

Debora Carrera

Chief education officer for the city of Philadelphia, who emphasized that the school closure plan is still a draft and that community input should be considered.

Kenyatta Johnson

City Council President, who led the council in addressing concerns about the school closure proposal.

William Hite

Superintendent of the Philadelphia School District, who presented the school closure recommendations.

Cindy Bass

City Council member, who said the proposed closures are "a step along the way to fundamentally breaking down public education" for Philadelphia's children.

Isaiah Thomas

City Council member, who warned of the lasting impact of school closures and urged the district to consider population shifts in certain areas.

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What they’re saying

“The voices of the school communities deserve to be heard, and their input should be considered.”

— Debora Carrera, Chief education officer, City of Philadelphia (whyy.org)

“This is a legacy vote. When you think about what happened years ago we are still impacted by those decisions today.”

— Isaiah Thomas, City Council member (whyy.org)

“Any changes are going to inherently affect black or brown students, no matter how you slice the pie.”

— William Hite, Superintendent, Philadelphia School District (whyy.org)

What’s next

The final Facilities Plan will be presented at the district's school board meeting on February 26, 2026. Until then, the district will hold community conversations to gather feedback from families and educators.

The takeaway

The Philadelphia school closure proposal highlights the complex challenges districts face in balancing facilities needs with equity concerns. Meaningful community engagement and careful consideration of the disparate impacts on minority students will be crucial as the district finalizes its plans.