Story thread · 2 reports / 1 sources

5 things to watch for Philadelphia’s 2026-27 school year

chalkbeat.org · 1hShare

Sign up for Chalkbeat Philadelphia’s free newsletter to keep up with the city’s public school system. Philadelphia schools will open their doors to students next week as educators and families brace for what could be a tumultuous year. The upcoming school year will be the last for nine district schools as Superintendent Tony Watlington moves forward with his plan to close schools beginning in 2027 . Meanwhile, school leaders say they’re also focused on improving student attendance and boosting academic performance. “We are going to get our reading scores up,” Brenda Elliott, the district’s deputy superintendent of academics, told Chalkbeat. “We are committed to ensuring every one of our students are reading on grade level.” That could be difficult. Test scores released last school year showed that third grade reading scores declined , with fewer than 1 in 3 able to read proficiently. Amid low test scores and looming school closures, some members of the City Council say they want more c

First report: Philadelphia’s state test scores are delayed this year — chalkbeat.org, 2d