Parents and students are voicing their concerns about plans to close 18 schools in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia School Board is holding a special town hall on Thursday, March 12 where dozens of people are set to speak. The board will hear from students and members of the public about the F acilities Master Plan impacts them. At the end of February, the district presented the board with their revised version of the plan that would close 18 schools instead of the 20 originally proposed. The $2.8 billion plan also modernizes 159 schools and merges some. Superintendent Tony Watlington recently told NBC10’s Lauren Mayk that the plan is going to require some sacrifice and that the district had to make tough choices. “This is my final recommendation to the board of education,” Watlington said, labeling the plan good but not perfect. The district says that this is an opportunity to address poor school conditions and enrollment. Some parents have said that the closures are not fair, saying that it will disrupt learning and cause instability while impacting some neighborhoods worse than others. For more details on the proposal, including information on which schools are set for closure, check out the School District of Philadelphia’s website on the plan here. To submit feedback on the plan anonymously, click here for the district’s Community Comment Box. Battleground Politics Mar 6 Philadelphia School District has ‘tough choices' to make, superintendent says  School District of Philadelphia Feb 26 Philly school leaders present $2.8B facilities shutdown master plan to board School District of Philadelphia Jan 22 With $2.8B plan, Philly school district calls to close or repurpose 20 schools School District of Philadelphia Dec 24, 2025 Philly residents want schools repaired and rebuilt, not closed Philadelphia Dec 11, 2025 Philly schools to possibly pass ownership of vacant district buildings to city ...read more read less