Community Gathers To Try To Save Strawberry Mansion High School
Strawberry Mansion High School is one of the 37 schools the School District of Philadelphia plans on closing.
Watch CBS News
Strawberry Mansion High School is one of the 37 schools the School District of Philadelphia plans on closing.
Chanting "save our schools," an overflow crowd of parents and students packed the first School Reform Commission meeting since Superintendent William Hite announced the school closure plan last week.
Some schools that have received new equipment are now slated to be shut down by the Philadelphia school district.
"Corbett's budget hurt education around the state, not just Philadelphia. And we need to come up with a unified strategy with other districts around the state and restore the funding formula from 2008."
Local activist groups, students, parents and community members plan to come together Saturday afternoon to protest the recommended school closings announced on Wednesday.
Among the high schools to close are Germantown High, Strawberry Mansion High, University City High, and Bok Tech.
Several groups have filed a formal complaint, saying a privately-funded consultant's report for the Philadelphia school district amounted to lobbying.
The effort among Philadelphia's district, charter, and archdiocesan schools known as the "Great Schools Compact" has received a $2.5-million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Complicating the matter is that the district hasn't yet named the dozens of schools it may be permanently closing next year.
The hearing lasted hours and was dominated by school parents and other advocates who object to the closure process.
Superintendent William Hite defended the salary increases, saying they coincided with additional responsibilities for employees in the district's IT, finance, and human resources departments.
The Educational Improvement Tax Credit is promoted as a way to provide a better education for poor children, but public education advocates say it actually takes away tax money that could be used to improve schools.
Expanding the program at a time when the state has slashed public school funding is infuriating public education advocates.
"BLOCS provides scholarships from your business taxes to students who not only want to attend a Catholic school but are most in need," says one advertisement.
State senator Tony Williams defends the program as similar to the GI Bill, but some of his Harrisburg colleagues see it as improperly favoring closed groups.
This round of grants gives cash to individual school districts using innovative tools to personalize learning.
The school district says its system of rating schools is flawed and it's looking for an outside firm to fix it.
SEPTA will remain out of service on Tuesday morning. Officials say it will take eight hours after the storm passes to make sure things aren't damaged.
As Hurricane Sandy approaches, the city of Philadelphia is closing government offices, court houses, mass transit and public and Archdiocesan schools on Monday. And Mayor Michael Nutter continues to urge residents to be ready.
Mayor Nutter says the city agreed to kick in $338,000 and the district will pay $800,000 to keep programs going.
Students ranged from kindergartners to 4th graders. And after a brief fitting session, there were many happy customers.
A 16-year-old high school student who says she was humiliated for wearing a Mitt Romney t-shirt returned to the classroom this morning.
Until this year, the Samuel Fels High School in Northeast Philadelphia was listed as a "persistently dangerous" school, as defined by the state. But the climate is changing there.
If kids don't feel safe, they're not going to learn. But now the victims of assaults in Philadelphia schools have someone going to bat for them.
There is a new atmosphere at one Philadelphia high school where, students say, violence used to be commonplace.
Noah Cates scored on a deflection off goalie Lukas Dostal's skate at 2:17 of overtime and — after a review for offsides on the play — the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Wednesday night.
After a cold start to the morning in the Philadelphia region on Thursday, we will finally get back to normal highs in the low 50s.
A South Jersey nonprofit is teaching women how to defend themselves while also launching a new effort to support those recovering from difficult situations.
A Philadelphia youth wheelchair basketball team is heading south for chance to compete for a national championship after a dominant regular season.
The Lehigh University men's basketball team was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament Wednesday night in a 67-55 loss to Prairie View A&M University in Dayton, Ohio.
Additional security checkpoints at PHL are closed as a partial government shutdown affecting TSA drags on.
Noah Cates scored on a deflection off goalie Lukas Dostal's skate at 2:17 of overtime and — after a review for offsides on the play — the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Cpl. Timothy O'Connor was killed in the line of duty after being shot during a traffic stop in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Six NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament games will be played in Philadelphia. Here's what to know as March Madness returns for the first time since 2022.
After a cold start to the morning in the Philadelphia region on Thursday, we will finally get back to normal highs in the low 50s.
A Philadelphia youth wheelchair basketball team is heading south for chance to compete for a national championship after a dominant regular season.
The Lehigh University men's basketball team was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament Wednesday night in a 67-55 loss to Prairie View A&M University in Dayton, Ohio.
Philadelphia is preparing for a surge of major events expected to draw millions of visitors in the coming months.
Cpl. Timothy O'Connor was killed in the line of duty after being shot during a traffic stop in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is accusing UGI Utilities, Inc. of multiple pipeline safety violations in connection with the fatal R.M. Palmer Company explosion in 2023.
A South Jersey nonprofit is teaching women how to defend themselves while also launching a new effort to support those recovering from difficult situations.
Crews are working around the clock in Medford Township after Monday night's powerful storm knocked down telephone poles and more.
A Cherry Hill couple is trying to find the origin of the peacock who's now wandering around near their home.
New Jersey parents say their 10-month-old daughter was found with a marijuana vape pen in her mouth at a Voorhees day care.
Officials say James Hadley, a New Jersey coach and educator, may have assaulted other victims.
An EF-1 tornado touched down in Kent County, Delaware, Monday night as severe storms hit the Philadelphia region, the National Weather Service said Tuesday.
Thousands of people spent the night without electricity around the Philadelphia area after Monday's storms.
With the region under a tornado watch through 7 p.m., several school districts have announced closings and early dismissals.
A teenager in Newark, Delaware is being charged with first degree murder after stabbing a rideshare driver multiple times, police say.
Up-and-coming bands are sharing their sound in between the aisles at Fiesta Fresh Farmers Market.
A popular national brand has joined a Philadelphia kidney patient and advocate to raise awareness and save lives.
Earl Jones is thriving after receiving a heart transplant at Temple University Hospital decades ago.
After years of being misdiagnosed, Mary Schneider is raising awareness about narcolepsy and other sleep disorders.
New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim is opening up about his father's Alzheimer's diagnosis in hopes of helping others struggling like him to care for their loved ones.
New owners say Springfield Hospital could reopen as soon as this year, bring much-needed health care to Delaware County.
The Franklin Mall in Northeast Philadelphia is set to reopen Friday after being because of a fire, a spokesperson said.
The Franklin Mall in Northeast Philadelphia is closed until further notice following a fire, a mall security official said.
Move over, Wawa, "there's a new player in town." Customers shed light on Pennsylvania's heated rivalry as Sheetz opened its first store in Montgomery County.
Former Sheetz president and CEO Steve Sheetz has died at age 77, the Altoona-based company announced on Monday.
The post-Christmas return rush was underway at shops and malls across the Philadelphia area.
The Walt Whitman Bridge is back open Wednesday after it was closed in both directions Tuesday night because of police activity.
Additional security checkpoints at PHL are closed as a partial government shutdown affecting TSA drags on.
Fire crews were called to the Valley Forge Service Area on the Pennsylvania Turnpike for a truck fire Friday morning.
Construction in Upper Darby and Newtown Square has frustrated drivers. PennDOT says work is set to be completed at the end of the year.
TSA workers are impacted by the government shutdown and the agency is dealing with staffing constraints, including at PHL.
Noah Cates scored on a deflection off goalie Lukas Dostal's skate at 2:17 of overtime and — after a review for offsides on the play — the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Wednesday night.
The Lehigh University men's basketball team was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament Wednesday night in a 67-55 loss to Prairie View A&M University in Dayton, Ohio.
Former Philadelphia Eagles running back Boston Scott, known as the "Giant killer," announced his retirement from the NFL Wednesday.
The Philadelphia Eagles are acquiring veteran QB Andy Dalton from the Carolina Panthers for a 2027 seventh-round draft pick.
Six NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament games will be played in Philadelphia. Here's what to know as March Madness returns for the first time since 2022.
Michael B. Jordan's best actor win at Sunday night's Academy Awards resonated at his alma mater, Arts High School in Newark.
A West Philadelphia hip-hop artist is using his music to inspire others and bring people together.
"One Battle After Another" took home several big awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and the newly created Best Casting.
Watch scenes from the performances nominated for best supporting actress at the 98th annual Academy Awards, as well as interviews with the nominees.
The Ministry of Awe on 3rd Street in Philadelphia features five floors of art installations, interactive exhibits and more.
Ukee Washington reports.
Natasha Brown reports.
Natasha Brown reports.
Natasha Brown reports.
Ukee Washington reports.
Middle school students in Philadelphia got the opportunity to do hands-on learning during the school district's five-day career and technical camp.
With her Girl Talk mentoring program, one Philadelphia teen turned her camp days into a safe space to discuss social issues young girls face every day.
Recent high school graduate Sylvain Farrell says his temporary position at a local clinic is the pathway to a full-time career.
A Philadelphia student won an award from NFL Films for his documentary on bringing back sports teams at his Kensington school.
A group of East Norriton eighth graders took what started as an Earth Day project and made a whole initiative.
Bill Kelly says we'll be back in the low 50s on Thursday in the Philadelphia region. Here's the latest NEXT Weather forecast.
Strike it Strong, a nonprofit, hosts events about every other month in Willingboro.
State Sen. Anthony H. Williams, who represents Darby Borough, condemned the attack and said he is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who assaulted the guard.
Katie's Komets, a Philadelphia youth co-ed wheelchair basketball team, will compete for a national championship for the third straight year. Krystle Rich reports.
Bill Kelly has the latest NEXT Weather forecast for the Philadelphia region Wednesday night.