PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The School District of Philadelphia is launching a process to evaluate its aging buildings, in an effort to identify where the district will invest hundreds of millions of dollars, and decide which schools need to be built, repaired, or closed.
Philadelphia’s school buildings have an average age of 70 years old. Asbestos, lead in drinking water, heating and air conditioning problems in schools have made headlines in recent years.
The district now plans to examine projected enrollment needs, along with physical building conditions. Leaders aim to determine where available money for repairs or construction will be best spent. That includes $325 million in federal stimulus funding, part of $1.1 billion from the American Rescue Plan.
Environmental groups said that district data in February revealed that of 65 schools where drinking water was sampled, 64 schools had at least one drinking outlet with positive signs of lead. Concerns about damaged asbestos from ongoing construction led City Council members, Masterman School parents, and teachers to publicly demand assurances about safety at the start of the 2021-22 school year.
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The district’s new Facilities Planning Process picks up where the Comprehensive School Planning Review left off. The COVID-19 pandemic led to that effort being abandoned.
By the end of April, the district plans to release data on facilities. They plan on providing a 10-year enrollment forecast in September.
The district has set up nine community meetings in May, so student families and others can learn more and give feedback about the data and possible district plans.
Related Jawncast: Get the lowdown on the three final candidates for superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia.
The Board of Education is expected to take on final recommendations about school construction, repairs, and closures for approval in the spring of 2023.
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