School closure plan collides with Philadelphia legislators

Driving the news: Philly legislators are threatening to withhold city funding for schools in the upcoming budget (due by July 1) unless district officials modify the plan, particularly around the number of proposal closures and mergers.

Catch up quick: Superintendent Tony Watlington has proposed shuttering 20 schools, modernizing 159, and merging six as part of a massive shakeup of where and how students are taught in the city.

• Several significant challenges confronting the district are fueling the need for the revamp — aging buildings (many with environmental hazards), declining enrollment, billions of dollars in needed maintenance, and underpopulated schools (although some buildings are severely overcrowded with students).

Between the lines: Legislators have lots of leverage.

• The district depends on City Council and Mayor Cherelle Parker to levy and provide its share of property taxes for the schools' budget.
• City funding amounts to roughly 45% of the district's spending.

What they're saying: Councilmember Cindy Bass tells Axios the district's current plan "faces significant challenges if left unchanged."

• Bass, who represents parts of North and Northwest Philly, criticized the plan for what she called maintaining an ongoing lack of funding and investments for schools west of Broad Street.
• "Nothing is off the table," Bass says when it comes to how legislators will respond, adding that she wants to see fewer schools shutter and clearer data to justify any closures.

Plus: More worrying for the district, Council President Kenyatta Johnson is on board with holding up school funding in the budget, per the Inquirer.

• The South Philly legislator, who rarely airs his tactics publicly, holds enormous sway over the budgetary process.

The other side: Watlington tells Axios that he's open to considering changes to the plan but stopped short of saying what that could include, like reducing the number of school closures or mergers.

• "We've got to close something in the nation's sixth-largest city. It's inevitable," he added.

Zoom in: Several legislators have voiced their concerns over the district's plan, mirroring pushback from some parents and students.

• City Council is mulling a nuclear option — a new process for kicking members off the school board.

What's next: Watlington and other district officials are scheduled to testify during a City Council hearing about the facilities plan on Feb. 17 at 10am.

• Watch the hearing on Xfinity Channel 64 and Fios Channel 40, or stream it.

What we're watching: Whether Watlington buckles to political pressure and makes significant changes to the plan ahead of presenting it to the Board of Education on Feb. 26.

• The board must ultimately approve the facilities plan.