Board of Education Action Meeting: April 23 and April 30, 2026
by Lisa Haver
“This is the fourth time I have come here to speak to you about my school.”
Stetson Middle School student in his April 23 testimony to the board
At the April 30 action meeting, board members finally addressed their constituents on the district’s proposed Facilities Master Plan. Some had attended the public meetings held over the past 18 months as observers. They did not respond to testimony given by students, parents, educators and community members at board meetings and town halls over the past 3 months. Not until this meeting, continued from April 23, did board members disclose their positions on the plan. Board President Reginald Streater, on the other hand, had made his position clear early in the process, before public meetings had ended, in City Council hearings and in an Inquirer op-ed.The district brought in heavy police protection, including bike cops who lined up outside the board’s first floor office. An additional metal detector was set up outside the auditorium. Philadelphia police blocked some elected officials from entering the auditorium. Some on the speaker list were able to access microphones, others were not. In the end, most board members betrayed their constituents, voting to pass a plan that had close to 100% opposition. The board of education is unelected and unaccountable. If the plan fails, there is no mechanism by which they can be held responsible.
Ilene Poses contributed to this report.
Elected Officials Disrupt Meeting
Several City Council members attended the April 30 meeting. Some had been outspoken against the plan for months. Councilmember Jamie Gauthier has been fighting to keep 3 schools in her district open, including Robeson High school. At the April 23 board meeting, Councilmember Jeffery Young told the board that the plan “does not explain why certain schools have to be closed and not others.” He reminded that the district’s own enrollment policies “have caused the problem at special-admit schools.” Other Council members had said little about the plan until the day of the postponed board vote. Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, Chair of City Council’s Education Committee, interrupted Superintendent Tony Watlington Sr. during his remarks, demanding that the board vote immediately. Other Council members stood beside him. Streater recessed the meeting, and board members left the room. They returned 30 minutes later. Board members in turn gave their positions on the plan. As BM Joyce Wilkerson began her remarks, Thomas interrupted again, saying that Wilkerson was not a “legitimate” board member (Wilkerson was never confirmed by Council after being nominated by Mayor Cherelle Parker in 2024). Thomas taunted Streater, telling him to “go ahead and vote” and “see what happens”. Thomas continued shouting at Streater, who thanked Thomas, sarcastically, for “setting a great example for our students”. Streater recessed the meeting again, to be resumed virtually.
Board Passes Facilities Plan
In a room from which the public was barred, the board voted 6-3 to pass the Facilities Master Plan, with Crystal Cubbage, Whitney Jones and Wanda Novales dissenting. This begins the process of closing 17 neighborhood schools, co-locating 12 (which, in effect, closes 6 school buildings), changing the grade bands of 34 middle and elementary schools, and redrawing catchment areas throughout the district. In the end, it didn’t matter to most board members that no one–no parent, student, teacher, principal, community member–had expressed any support for the plan. Cubbage called the plan “a flawed first draft”, saying that it was not reasonable to expect the district to raise $200 million every year for 10 years. She objected to building maintenance being rebranded as “modernization”. Jones concurred with Cubbage, adding that school closings should be “an absolute last resort”. Jones expressed doubt that in the current political climate the district could rely on the state or private philanthropies for an additional $2 billion. Novales stated that the school closings were not the deciding factor for her but the level of significant “financial uncertainty”. She cited an “unclear timeline” for completion of modernization projects. BM Cheryl Harper remarked that “Board Member Cubbage said it all.” She added that until she could see a “more definite plan” that would lead to higher student achievement, it would be hard to make a definite decision on the plan. Harper gave no explanation when she later cast her Yes vote. BM Chou-Wing Lam said, “I “truly, truly, truly hope that we can move toward a future that has every student in working facilities.” She did express “concern” about how the district could raise the remaining $2 billion while paying debt service on the borrowed $1billion. She also expressed concern about travel times and transportation for young students whose catchments would be changed. Lam declared, “I believe this plan can provide an opportunity for a pathway that ensures a baseline for what our students can expect in their schools.” BM Sarah-Ashley Andrews framed the issue as one where district stakeholders were driven by emotions, as opposed by the more rational approach of board members. She began her remarks by “acknowledging the very real emotions” of those affected, especially those facing school closures. As a licensed therapist, Andrews said, she could understand how these things can lead to anxiety and feelings of loss. Board members, however, have “a responsibility to address the challenges before us…and strengthen the system they depend on.” BM Joyce Wilkerson, acknowledging that it is “not a perfect plan”, said that she would vote Yes for its passage. Wilkerson, who spent years in the top echelons of government, did not express any misgivings about the plan’s financial uncertainties.. She said she views the plan “not as much about identifying additional resources but using the resources we do have”. The plan, actually, is about raising money over the next ten years for projects to begin no sooner than 2032. Wilkerson cited drops in district enrollment but did not acknowledge her role, as both School Reform Commission Chair and Board President, in approving new charter schools and renewing substandard charters. BM Joan Stern’s district bio identifies her as a public finance attorney who “concentrated her practice financing for state and local governments, institutions of higher education and health care entities.” Yet Stern raised no concerns about the district’s ability to raise $2 billion over ten years while paying on an increasing debt service. She also said she would vote for the plan despite its being “imperfect”. Streater claimed that the board has been “open, honest, and transparent” despite the fact that he would not disclose when the board would vote on the plan until just 3 days before it was placed on the agenda. He did not acknowledge that the district held meetings only at the 20 schools to be closed but refused to hold any at the schools affected by co-location, grade band changes, catchment area shifts or construction projects. Streater admitted, “OK, yes, we may not get the $2 billion” but stopped short of acknowledging that the entire plan depends on raising that money. He characterized the plan as “aspirational”, and he implied that approving it would mean giving students access to Algebra and CTE programs, although the plan provides no specific funding for either. Streater said that the plan would affect the entire community including his own children. Actually, his children’s school is not on the closure list, nor will it experience any grade band or catchment changes.
Board Violates Sunshine Act
President Streater made a decision to remove the board from the room after a second disruption from elected officials and others. He may have had a legitimate reason for leaving the auditorium. But the law is clear. The board may vote on official items only in a public meeting. The board should have postponed the vote. Lisa Haver filed a formal objection on the record on behalf of APPS members.
Upcoming Meetings
Next Action Meeting: Thursday, May 28 at 4 PM at 440 N. Broad Street.
Goals and Guardrails Committee: Thursday, May 14 at 4 PM at 440 N. Broad Street.
The meeting adjourned at 6:05 PM.
Published: May 4, 2026
Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools 