Philadelphia teachers union pitches plan to repair school buildings not close them
Did you know search engines like Google are changing the way you see news? Keep Chalkbeat’s valuable education coverage at the top of your feeds by clicking here and checking the box next to our name. Months before Philadelphia is set to begin closing 17 schools , the teacher’s union has a proposal they say could keep buildings open. But it will need unlikely support from district leaders to have any influence. The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers’ proposal, which President Arthur Steinberg revealed Wednesday morning, recommends renovating schools rather than closing them . At a first-year cost of $25 million, the district could improve the building quality of the 17 schools it wants to close, according to the union’s calculation of renovation costs. “By utilizing our plan right now, it will give families a clear indication that the facilities are going to improve,” Steinberg said. “There’s less reason for them to leave and more hope for them to stay in their neighborhood schools.” District officials have said their facilities plan, which the Board of Education approved in April, will result in more academic opportunities and address the city’s declining enrollment. Some school buildings are half empty. Dozens need expensive repairs
