Philadelphia City Council To Hold Hearings On School Closures
The Philadelphia School District's decision to close as many as nine schools is prompting City Council to schedule its own inquiry.
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The Philadelphia School District's decision to close as many as nine schools is prompting City Council to schedule its own inquiry.
It's been ten years since the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania took control of the Philadelphia school system, but even those who initially supported the state takeover acknowledge a seemingly neverending torrent of problems.
Public hearings are set on the school district's plan to close nine schools and reconfigure others, under a wide-ranging facilities plan.
Officials at the Philadelphia School District today unveiled the first step in a plan to downsize the district substantially by closing schools across the city.
"We're not giving to the district, we are really giving to the children of Philadelphia because we do care about what happens in schools and what happens to the kids," Federation president Jerry Jordan says.
Cary's novel, "The Price of a Child," was the first "One Book, One Philadelphia" pick in 2003, and she founded Art Sanctuary 13 years ago.
One of the missions this year, according to the mayor, is making further inroads into cutting Philadelphia's high school dropout rate.
"We commit as a commission to work in a transparent and efficient manner. That's going to be extremely important. We have to get the public's respect and trust in this process," Pritchett said.
The help comes in two forms: The mayor's Chief Education Officer Lori Shorr and former district Chief Academic Officer Ed Williams will each serve as executive advisers to acting superintendent Lee Nunery during the search for a permanent superintendent.
The head of Philadelphia's embattled School Reform Commission -- attorney Robert Archie -- has resigned, along with member Johnny Irizarry, and now it is up to Mayor Nutter to fill those seats.
After a tumultuous summer that saw the buyout of Superintendent Arlene Ackerman, a new school year begins today for Philadelphia public school students.
"The last six months have been a debacle of planning, financial mismanagement, a leadership vacuum and a human resource crisis," state senator Mike Stack says.
Now that she's officially unemployed, former Philadelphia schools superintendent Arlene Ackerman is on the offensive. In interviews, she's blaming her departure on politicians and some school district officials. The comments may be jeopardizing her generous buy-out.
The School Reform Commission issued a statement that Ackerman will be paid $905,000, the amount due on the remainder of her contract.
Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter is backing the decision to remove Arlene Ackerman as schools superintendent, and he is glad the taxpayers' portion of the buyout was limited to half a million dollars.
Meanwhile, a political watchdog group in Philadelphia says that private donations for a public sector bailout would be wrong.
It's a win for the teachers' union, who said all along that their contract called for layoffs by seniority and that no group of teachers should be bypassed.
The Pennsylvania Education Department is receiving responses from dozens of school districts across the Commonwealth, including the School District of Philadelphia, that were ordered to look into scoring irregularities on 2009 state standardized test scores.
Where was Superintendent Arlene Ackerman? She was not at Wednesday's School Reform Commission meeting, amid reports that the SRC wants her out.
Amid rumors swirling about the future of Philadelphia schools chief Arlene Ackerman, her administration has announced deep cuts in one of her signature programs.
A School District of Philadelphia educator offers some advice for parents who are already eyeing the "back to school" supply displays at local store.
Summer schools run by the Philadelphia School District are dismissing early on Thursday and closing altogether on Friday because of the heat.
The School District of Philadelphia says a draft document listing perks that were not approved for schools superintendent Arlene Ackerman should have remained under wraps.
The city has released a pile of internal documents the school district provided as part of their so-called "Education Accountability Agreement."
Word of a cheating scandal in Atlanta schools got Pennsylvania state rep Michael McGeehan thinking: what ever happened to a similar case in Philadelphia?
"Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi said in a TikTok video that her results at a post-op appointment for a cone biopsy showed stage 1 cervical cancer.
With so much attention lately on the site, CBS News Philadelphia went deep into our archives to see how the exhibit came to be.
Just as last month's snow melts away, Mother Nature is reminding the Jersey Shore that winter is not over yet.
At least five students and an adult were arrested after an alleged confrontation Friday during an anti-ICE protest in Quakertown.
Flames broke out in a "high-occupancy" building on the 400 block of Northampton Street, around 10 a.m., Friday
We've issued a NEXT Weather Alert for Sunday into Monday as we track the possibility of a wintry mix and snow.
Displays about slavery at the President's House in Old City were being restored nearly a month after they were removed by order of the Trump administration.
"Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi said in a TikTok video that her results at a post-op appointment for a cone biopsy showed stage 1 cervical cancer.
At least five students and an adult were arrested after an alleged confrontation Friday during an anti-ICE protest in Quakertown.
With so much attention lately on the site, CBS News Philadelphia went deep into our archives to see how the exhibit came to be.
With so much attention lately on the site, CBS News Philadelphia went deep into our archives to see how the exhibit came to be.
At least five students and an adult were arrested after an alleged confrontation Friday during an anti-ICE protest in Quakertown.
Flames broke out in a "high-occupancy" building on the 400 block of Northampton Street, around 10 a.m., Friday
Media Mayor Joi Washington, the borough's first Black leader, says being a pioneer isn't easy.
Many Philly neighborhoods are still dealing with massive piles of snow that the city dumped at around 30 sites.
Just as last month's snow melts away, Mother Nature is reminding the Jersey Shore that winter is not over yet.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said more than 1,100 dead birds have been reported statewide between Saturday and Monday.
One child was taken to the hospital after a crash involving a school bus in Lindenwold, New Jersey, Thursday afternoon.
A New Jersey barbershop employee is facing charges after allegedly placing cameras in the shop's bathroom, police said.
Wawa says these four bottled milk products could present a choking hazard and are being recalled as a precaution.
Wawa says these four bottled milk products could present a choking hazard and are being recalled as a precaution.
The long-ago first husband of first lady Jill Biden pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed his current wife in Delaware.
A fire that broke out at a wastewater treatment facility in Wilmington, Delaware, is under control after an explosion early Tuesday morning.
Ice is still impacting bodies of water around the Philadelphia area after a long stretch of cold temperatures.
Two firefighters and two residents were taken to the hospital after a house fire in Wilmington on Sunday, officials said.
With their fathers in mind, two female therapists founded Black Men Heal to help change the perception about caring for your mental health.
Sick and dying geese at Alcyon Lake in Pitman, New Jersey, had presumed cases of bird flu, officials said in a news release.
A Code Orange alert is in effect Wednesday, Feb. 18, for all of southeastern Pennsylvania due to poor air quality levels around the region.
A nationwide shortage of estrogen patches used for hormone replacement therapy has prompted many women to look for alternatives for treating symptoms of menopause.
Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia is the country's oldest hospital and will become a museum for the nation's 250th birthday in 2026.
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.
With product return fraud on the rise, an emerging company is using AI to help spot issues.
Here are mall opening and closing hours for the Christmas and Christmas Eve holidays around the Philly region.
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Philadelphia has reopened following emergency repairs, according to the city.
A stretch of Spruce Street in Philadelphia's University City section is closed until further notice because of a water main break.
Police and fire crews are once again responding to the scene of a train fire that broke out Thursday.
More than 100 speed bumps near Philadelphia schools were installed improperly, a new report says.
The Downingtown Interchange on the Pennsylvania Turnpike reopened Wednesday night after a canopy over the toll booths collapsed.
Malvern Prep sophomore Matt O'Neill is looking to win back-to-back National Prep titles, and his hustle started at an early age.
Jalen Johnson had 32 points and 10 rebounds, and CJ McCollum added 23 points as the Hawks beat the 76ers 117-107 on Thursday night in the teams' first game after the All-Star break.
The Philadelphia Catholic League basketball championships are set for a Sunday doubleheader at the Palestra.
Three figure skaters from Team USA competed in the women's individual free skate event at the Milan Cortina Winter Games.
Thousands of volunteers will help with the PGA Championship in Delaware County in May.
"Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi said in a TikTok video that her results at a post-op appointment for a cone biopsy showed stage 1 cervical cancer.
In April 2025, Eric Dane announced he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
Bruce Springsteen is bringing the Land of Hope and Dreams tour to Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on May 8.
J. Cole's "The Fall-Off Tour" will stop at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia in July.
Robert Duvall was in such classics as "The Godfather," "To Kill a Mockingbird," "M*A*S*H," "The Great Santini" and "Tender Mercies."
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.
A Philadelphia native is making history in the suburbs. Media Mayor Joi Washington, the borough's first Black leader, says being a pioneer isn't easy. Madeleine Wright reports.
The President's House Site was designed to examine the paradox of freedom and slavery and honor the nine enslaved people who lived at the house under President George Washington. CBS News Philadelphia's Liz Crawford reports.
A Malvern Prep sophomore wrestler is looking to win back-to-back National Prep Wrestling Championships, and his hustle started at an early age. CBS News Philadelphia's Krystle Rich reports.
Just as last month's snow melts away, Mother Nature is reminding the Jersey Shore that winter is not over yet. Ryan Hughes reports.
Philadelphia's celebration to mark firsts that happened in the city continues Saturday with a Firstival celebrating the Chinatown Friendship Gate.