James R. Ludlow School removed from School District of Philadelphia's proposed closure list
James R. Ludlow School has been removed from the list of Philadelphia public schools set to close under the school district's long-term facilities plan, the superintendent said Monday.
The elementary school in North Philadelphia would remain open, Superintendent Tony B. Watlington said during a press conference Monday. Ludlow has a large special education population, and parents and staff have been pushing back on the closure since it was originally announced.
The School District of Philadelphia's original plan called for 20 schools to close. Then, in February, it was reduced to 18 and now, 17.
The closures are part of a 10-year long-term plan that could reshape over 300 school buildings across the city, the district says.
The final recommendations Watlington shared Monday include increasing the price tag from $2.8 billion to $3 billion, the number of school modernizations from 159 to 169 and planned investments in the 3rd council district from $205 million to $331 million and in the 5th council district from $299 million to $330 million.
The 3rd council district investments would fund projects at three elementary schools — Anderson, Bryant and Mitchell — and a pool renovation at Motivation High School, Watlington said.
Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, who represents the 3rd District, said in a statement the investment would "make a significant impact" in her community.
"This win belongs to the students, teachers, school staff, and parents who showed up and fought for our young people," Gauthier said, in part, in a statement.
The superintendent said the 5th council district investments would go toward the school district's North Philadelphia Promise Zone.
The school district has the master plan shared online with a full list of closures, though the final recommendations haven't been updated as of this story's publication.
A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers said the teachers' union "is not satisfied with these minor adjustments to a process that will be hugely disruptive to school communities, will absolutely drive families and staff out of the district and is counterproductive to efforts to secure additional funding via the rideshare tax."
Parents of Ludlow students told CBS News Philadelphia that they believe their voices made a difference.
"I'm so thankful and grateful. I don't know what happened," Shaakira Jones said, "but I'm just happy, grateful, thankful and I really appreciate it because I really don't know what I would have did."
If the school district's plan receives approval, the changes would go into effect beginning in the 2027-28 school year.
The school district's board will vote on the proposed plan Thursday.
In a statement, Councilmember Isaiah Thomas said the school district's plan to vote on the master plan is "rushed and unacceptable."
"Students, families, educators, legislators and the public deserve an opportunity to digest this plan - including changes that were only made public today," Thomas said, in part, in a statement.
Thomas added a vote shouldn't take place until the community gets more information on the changes.
