Blog

// Timestamp 11/20/25 7:23pm

Recap: Philly school board hears concerns over the principal’s union contract negotiations, potential school closings, the district’s wellness policy, and more

The Philadelphia School Board held its monthly action meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday. It lasted a little over three hours.

Here are a few takeaways:

• Principals showed up to the meeting in full force, urging the board to give them a fair contract after working without one for three months. Principal’s union president Robin Cooper spoke early in the meeting, asking the board: “What about the administrators?”
• Many parents and members of advocacy group Lift Every Voice Philly spoke to the board about its wellness policy, emphasizing the need for guaranteed bathroom breaks, lunch time, access to recess, and more. Some took issue with Superintendent Tony Watlington’s comments at a meeting earlier in November that some parents could be making claims without evidence.
• The facilities planning process was also a hot-button issue. Many urged the board not to close schools. The school board and superintendent asked the public to take their survey by Dec. 11 to share their concerns.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 7:22pm

Board approves its final item and adjourns the meeting

And the board approved the Intermediate Unit action item unanimously. The IU item included contracts with various vendors for a school safety grant for non-public schools, worth $1.5 million.

And now the meeting really is over! The next board meeting will be held in two weeks, on Dec. 4.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 7:20pm

Board approves all the items on its agenda

The board zips through its consent agenda, adopting all items unanimously.

The board meeting is over — but not really! In a Philly-only quirk, the board is also the board for the Philadelphia Intermediate Unit, which handles some special education matters.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 7:18pm

Streater tells the public: ‘We are chronically underfunded’

Board president Reginald Streater wraps up public comment by reminding the public that “we are chronically underfunded” and said that everything folks asked for “has a cost.”

But he says the board is listening, even if they don’t say anything.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 7:17pm

Retired district staffer speaks out about charter schools

Lynda Rubin, a retired district staffer and a member of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools, decries charter schools.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 7:13pm

Retired Philadelphia teacher urges board not to close schools

Deborah Grill, a retired Philadelphia teacher and member of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools: “public education is not a business. It is a civic obligation,” she said. “The school district is not a business to be rightsized.”

“The facilities planning process has been a disaster from the start,” Grill said. A “last-minute” survey will not fix it, she said.

“No community wants their neighborhood school closed,” she said.

“You’re failing as a business to give the customer what they want, so my question is: What community are you catering to, because it’s not your school communities?” Grill said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 7:11pm

Community member tells the board the district is ‘dooming these children to slavery’

Leah Clouden, daughter of Mama Gail and Horace Clouden, tells the board: “K-8 in our urban area do not work.”

“We need the basics put back in school — phonics and cursive writing,” Clouden said. Without the basics, the district is “dooming these children to slavery.”

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 7:07pm

Mama Gail Clouden, a regular speaker at school board meetings, calls ‘on the ancestors to fix this’

Mama Gail Clouden is “calling on the ancestors to fix this” — issues in the district.

“We have been better, and we’re going to be better with or without you,” Mama Gail says to Watlington. Talking about the district’s accolades is great, but “when the children in my neighborhood aren’t doing well, that’s a problem.”

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 7:03pm

Retired district building engineer urges board to consider a junior high model

Horace Clouden, a retired district building engineer, is again emphasizing his belief that restoring a junior high model will improve the entire district.

Students aren’t prepared for high school coming from a K-8 setting, Clouden said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 7:02pm

Retired district teacher speaks to the board about Ada Lewis

Barbara Dowdall, a retired district teacher and member of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools, is talking about Ada Lewis, namesake of a now-closed school and a teacher who authored the report that helped integrate Philadelphia schools.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:56pm

Parent and Lift Every Voice member asks Watlington not to question their group’s honesty as they fight for students’ bathroom rights

LaTi Spence, a parent of two students at Houston Elementary, stresses that there are no guarantees for student bathroom breaks, and no guidance to teachers on how to make this happen.

“The superintendent has publicly called parents’ concerns unsubstantiated, said he has never seen a child in a diaper,” Spence said. “Lift Every Voice would never question the superintendent’s honesty. We expect the same good faith in return.”

“Bathroom accidents are humiliating — ask any child,” Spence said. Parents send girls to school in Depends because they’re not always able to change sanitary pads when they have their periods. “This is a lived experience — this is not a rumor.”

Parents won’t scapegoat teachers, she said. Watlington has said he knows some children need to use the bathroom multiple times a day. “Right now, the child that needs to use the bathroom seven times a day has no guaranteed right to use it even once,” Spence said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:55pm

District parent draws attention to 88 schools with poor/unsatisfactory building scores

Emily Pugliese, a district parent and staffer at a climate nonprofit, is drawing attention to the 88 schools that received poor/unsatisfactory building scores in the district’s assessment.

“I hope that you will pause this process even further,” and work with the community to prioritize safety and comfort, and building upgrades.

“We know the current administration and school board isn’t responsible” for the poor condition of many district schools. But it has a host of organizations and community members ready to help, Pugliese said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:52pm

District climate manager asks the board for a fair contract

Shawn Viera, a district climate manager, tells the board: “Climate managers and other members of CASA deserve a fair contract.”

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:49pm

Lift Every Voice board member and Philly graduate questions Watlington over wellness issues

Inella Ray, a community member, is questioning Watlington’s assertion from a previous meeting that he never heard a report of a student wearing diapers because they couldn’t use the bathroom.

Parents from Lift Every Voice have been reporting this issue for years, she said.

“Girls wear Depends because they cannot always change their pads, and we must believe them,” Ray said.

Ray was suspended at age 12 because she asked to use the bathroom and was ignored, and when “I took care of my basic needs, my humanity was dismissed,” Ray said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:47pm

Olney High principal says district is ‘experimenting’ with charters at the expense of traditional public schools

Michael Roth, principal of Olney High, said he is not against charters — he used to work for one. But the district is “experimenting” with charters, Roth said, at the expense of traditional public schools.

The board just approved a dual enrollment school to serve schools in Olney’s zip code, even though Olney offers dual enrollment.

“Let’s support all students,” Roth said. He tells the board: Get our house in order before authorizing new schools.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:45pm

Volunteer with the Friends of Bache-Martin shares the value of school libraries

Barbara O’Connell, a volunteer with the Friends of Bache-Martin, talks about her group’s efforts to run the school library, and how beneficial it’s been to students.

“The library is creating kids who not only can read, but also will satisfy their curiosity, and that will transport them, and stay with them throughout their lives,” O’Connell said. She urges the board to provide school libraries for all students.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:41pm

School psychologist tells the board: ‘We need to keep our schools open’

School psychologist Paul Brown said the facilities planning process overemphasizes efficiency and under-values sustainability.

“The demographics of my high school is a direct result of the closing of Germantown High School in 2013,” said Brown, who works at Roxborough. There’s “unsustainable stress on our public school system. We need to keep our schools open. The goals of efficiency should not come at the expense of our most vulnerable.”

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:40pm

Lift Every Voice member advocates for guaranteed bathroom and lunch breaks

Sarah Burgess, a parent at Lea Elementary and a Lift Every Voice member, is advocating for guaranteed bathroom breaks and time to eat lunch.

“Parents aren’t looking for scapegoats. We’re asking for a system-wide policy,” Burgess said. “I know implementation is easier said than done. I know there can be staffing challenges, and I know there are competing priorities,” but this is an issue we all agree on, she said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:35pm

‘When is things going to change?’ community member asks the board

Jason Grisby, a community member, said the same issues have plagued city schools for years. “When is things going to change?” Grisby said.

He also shared concerns about the security of schools. He walked into a city school without being questioned as an outsider, Grisby said. Superintendent Watlington tells Grisby that a security official will speak to him, and no one should be able to walk into a school.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:33pm

Community members speak to the board about using data to support schools and the importance of family engagement

Donna Fields, a mother of three former district students and community researcher, urges the board to consider data to support schools.

Quibila Divine, another community member, said 98% of parents in a North Philadelphia survey felt unwelcome in their child’s school. Meaningful family engagement leads to better student outcomes, Divine said, but teachers are often not trained on how to do this.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:27pm

Legislative aide for Councilmember Thomas speaks on his behalf in favor of joy campaign

Zach McGrath, a legislative aide for Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, is reading a statement on behalf of Thomas. He supports Lift Every Voice’s joy campaign and its call for explicit promises for bathroom and water breaks for students.

“We maintain our support for their five wellness policy recommendations,” Thomas wrote. District-wide solutions are needed for these matters.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:24pm

Activist tells the board: ‘We don’t need another survey. We don’t need another meeting.’

Lisa Haver, of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools, criticizes City Council’s recent district hearing. The questions were “insipid,” Haver said.

“We don’t need another survey. We don’t need another meeting,” Haver said of the facilities planning process.

She asks the crowd: Does anyone want their school closed?

“NO,” the crowd yells.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:23pm

Community member speaks on student access to year-round swimming

Gloria Presley, of Philly Aquatics, is also calling for indoor, year-round swimming opportunities for all students.

“We cannot afford to wait any longer,” Presley said. “We cannot afford to turn our backs on Philly youth.”

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:19pm

Roxborough High teacher urges the board not to close schools

Daniel Reyes, a teacher at Roxborough High and member of Stand Up for Philly Schools, tells the board: “I’m here to advocate against closing schools,” Reyes said.

Closing schools destabilizes neighborhoods, Reyes said, asking: Why is the process downsizing the district without addressing the effect of charters on the district?

“We need stable, K-12 systems in all neighborhoods that meet the needs of all students,” Reyes said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:17pm

Speakers address the board about student experiences, wellness, school facilities planning, and more

Jasmine Pearson, a parent of a student at Mastery Simon Gratz High School, tells the board the school is readying her child to graduate.

Parent Julie Krug urged the board to update its wellness policy to ensure students have access to recess, bathroom breaks, and time to eat their lunch.

Community member Ryan Pfleger came to the board with a request: Don’t close any schools. He urged the board to reconsider closing buildings and instead invest in communities with underutilized buildings.

Carrera Wilson-Allure spoke to the board about joy.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 6:06pm

CASA chief steward Deana Ramsey says their union is the ‘backbone of district leadership’

Deana Ramsey, a district principal and CASA’s chief steward, speaks on behalf of the principals.

The union “is the backbone of district leadership,” Ramsey said. The union represents principals, assistant principals, climate managers, and safety supervisors.

Dozens of principals in attendance stood up to chant and hold up signs after Ramsey’s comments.

Board president Streater said the board cannot comment on negotiations, but said he looks forward to a contract. “We’re a family, and sometimes family has disagreements,” he said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:58pm

Parents speak in support of Mastery Wister and Mastery Clymer

Johncarlos Quiles, a parent at Mastery Wister, is saying the school has changed his perspective on charters.

“When I was in school, the communication was nonexistent between parents and the teachers,” Quiles said. Wister has changed that because families are very involved, he said.

Wister has helped his son develop into a “super, super kid,” Quiles said. “We’re looking for that [charter] renewal.”

Ahlizee Wright, a parent at Mastery Clymer, said her son’s school is a “special place.” Her son’s previous school neglected his learning and safety, Wright said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:56pm

Head of Philly Aquatics advocates for year-round swimming opportunities

Charisma Presley, head of Philly Aquatics, is advocating for year-round swimming opportunities for city schools. Marcus Foster and Pickett Pools are the group’s priorities.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:49pm

Principals turn out in force to the school board meeting, as union president asks: ‘What about the administrators?’

Philadelphia principals are out in force tonight. Before Robin Cooper, president of the principals’ union, speaks, a chant breaks out. “Who are we? TEAMSTERS? What do we want? A CONTRACT! NOW!”

Principals in the district have been working without a contract for three months.

“I stand here in a situation that I’ve never experienced as the president- the proud president of Teamsters Local 502,” Cooper said. “I find myself not advocating for our students, not advocating for public education, not advocating for unconstitutional funding formulas, but rather advocating … to pay leaders their worth.”

Principals have done everything they were asked for, Cooper said: boosted attendance, improve academics, market schools, advocate for their schools.

Cooper said the district has asked for professional development funding and more. She suggests the district is not bargaining in good faith.

“The partnership is often one-sided,” Cooper said. Board meeting after board meeting, the district gives out contracts to outside providers, but refuses to arrive at a contract for its nearly 1,000 administrators, she said.

Cooper said that CASA is “fighting our own district.” Watlington often asks “what about the children?” CASA is now asking “what about the administrators?” Cooper said.

“We fight, we partner, we lead, and we have been doing so with no support,” Cooper said. “I have but one ask — if we have been a good partner to the school district of Philadelphia.

CASA and the district spent 12 hours at the table, Cooper said. They submitted multiple counterproposals, and the district came back with the same proposal. “We have given our blood, our sweat and our tears,” Cooper said.

“I am expecting a win-win, and I hope that you are too,” Cooper said.

Superintendent Watlington thanks Cooper and responds: “You are valued, and we’re going to get this done.”

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:41pm

Public comment set to begin

Now we’re onto public comment. Thirty speakers have signed up to testify; there are four speakers on the waiting list.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:38pm

Streater urges community members to take the survey

Streater said he completed the survey with his parent hat on — Streater has two children in a neighborhood K-8 school — and said it was easy to complete, finished in about five minutes.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:37pm

Board member applauds the district’s good financial news

Board member Joan Stern notes the good financial news.

“We are very proud of continuing to receive upgrades in our credit rating,” Stern said. The state budget — newly passed — is a help, but the district must be “constantly vigilant about our finances.”

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:36pm

The survey is the public’s last chance to weigh in on facilities planning, board member says

Board member Wanda Novales reminds the public that this is their last chance to weigh in on school facilities planning before decisions are made, and urges principals to push the surveys out to families.

She also asks Superintendent Watlington to talk about how this survey is different. He says it’s more open-ended, not ranked.

“We’re going to consider every bit of the feedback,” Watlington said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:28pm

Board member applauds staff efforts on attendance

Board member Cheryl Harper calls for a round of applause for principals, assistant superintendents, and staff for increases in student and teacher attendance.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:25pm

District is beginning to receive community feedback from survey

The current survey, Watlington said, will be open until Dec. 11. The district’s data analysts “may get some external support” to process all the information received in the survey.

The four themes emerging from feedback to far, Watlington said:

1. Reinvest in neighborhood high schools.

2. Expand access to schools with a 5-12 grade span.

3. Reduce the number of school transitions (from 13 to about 6.)

4. Increase building utilization.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:20pm

Watlington says they are committed to getting the facilities planning process right

“We’re committed to not fumbling the football on the two-yard line,” Watlington said.

The district wants to get facilities planning process correct and will take “just a little bit more time” to finalize the plan, which will include school closings, officials have said.

The purpose of the facilities planning process, Watlington said, is to improve education for students citywide — to maximize offerings, to offer 21st-century learning.

“We do not want to prepare our students for minimum-wage jobs,” the superintendent said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:19pm

School district gets a credit rating upgrade

“Exciting news” on the district’s financial outlook, Watlington said: The district got a credit rating upgrade, its third in three years. It’s now Baa1 rated by Moody’s.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:17pm

Fewer students have dropped out this year compared to this time last year, Watlington says

On dropouts:

In October this year, 384 students dropped out.

It was 707 students in October of 2024, Watlington said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:15pm

Student and teacher attendance is on the rise, Watlington shares with the board

Good news on student attendance, Watlington said: 79% regular attendance in October — a 3 percentage point increase compared to last year.

For teachers, 84% of teachers attended 90% or more. That’s up from 79% regular attendance in October of 2024.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 5:09pm

Board returns from recess with a poem

And we’re back. Board president Streater allowed Frantzceska Dorvilien, the Mastery Simon Gratz High School student, to read a poem she wrote about how Gratz helped her on her journey.

Now we’re on to Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr.’s presentation.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:49pm

Board takes a brief recess

That’s the end of the student speakers list. The board is taking a five-minute recess because it’s dealing with technical difficulties.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:45pm

Students from KHSA, home of a student-built library, urge the board to invest in school libraries

Dayniyah Little, a student at Kensington Health Sciences Academy, is asking for more access to school libraries and librarians.

KHSA students banded together to open their own library, DreamEscape Library, but they staff it themselves. There are just a handful of certified school librarians in city schools.

Isabella Le, another Kensington Health Sciences Academy student, says “libraries are a privilege to have in Philadelphia schools.” She’s proud of the DreamEscape library, Isabella said, which helps address the literacy crisis.

Of libraries, Isabella said: “The absence of them in our schools hinders the possibility to expand literacy at all.”

“We understand the budget is tight, but withholding libraries is not the answer,” Isabella tells the board.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:42pm

Philly student shares his experience learning to swim and row at Philly Aquatics

Whitman Dougherty, a Philadelphia student, entertains the crowd with tales of learning to swim and row. He’s a member of Philly Aquatics, a group advocating for year-round swim opportunities for all.

“Opportunity doesn’t depend on luck. It depends on access,” Whitman says.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:37pm

Two students speak about their experiences at Simon Gratz High School

Student speakers are on now.

The first is Devon Choice, a senior at Mastery Simon Gratz High School. Devon says he’s been challenged and encouraged at Gratz, which offers students myriad opportunities.

Frantzceska Dorvilien, another Gratz High School student, is testifying in Spanish through an interpreter. Frantzceska has lived in the U.S. for three years, and it hasn’t been easy, she said, but school is a bright spot — her teachers have pushed her to be the best, and supported her, regardless of challenges.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:29pm

Roll call: All members present but one

Roll call: All board members are present for today’s meeting except Crystal Cubbage.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:28pm

Updates from the board’s executive session

The board met in executive session to discuss several matters, including “property disposition” and confidential charter and investigation matters.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:24pm

This year’s state budget ‘moves us in the right direction,’ Streater says

On the state budget, the board president says “this year’s budget moves us in the right direction,” but says the state must move forward more quickly to meet the educational adequacy gap identified by experts.

“We have made meaningful progress, but Pennsylvania must keep moving toward adequacy so every student in every neighborhood has the resources they need to learn, grow and thrive,” Streater said.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:22pm

No applications for new charter schools

Streater says the school board has not received any applications for new charter schools.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:19pm

Board honors students and teacher of the month

One of the seniors of the month is Mario Rodriguez of Thomas A. Edison High School, who came to Philadelphia from El Salvador. Streater says he is a strong student with scholarship offers in hand already.

The other senior of the month is Kateryna Sobolevska. A George Washington High School student who came to the U.S. from Ukraine, she’s an International Baccalaureate student who was chosen for a prestigious Princeton University journalism program.

Teacher of the month is Takia McClendon of Bethune Elementary.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:16pm

Streater shouts out board member for recent prize

Board president Streater reminds the crowd that board member Joyce Wilkerson recently won a prize as the nation’s top urban educator.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:06pm

School board meeting begins

School board meeting, here we go!

Board president Reginald Streater is detailing board visits this month: including to MYA (Middle Years Alternative), and spending time at the Council of Great City Schools‘ national conference, held this year in Philadelphia.

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// Timestamp 11/20/25 4:00pm

Philly school board to host its monthly action meeting

The Philadelphia School Board is set to host its monthly action meeting on Thursday at 4 p.m.

There are a variety of issues expected to come up, including concerns over the school closing process and anger from principals who have been working for three months without a contract.

Follow along for more updates.