Philly school district leaders are closing fewer schools and modernizing more buildings in the final update to their 10-year facilities plan.

Why it matters: The Board of Education is expected to vote on the controversial blueprint this week — the last big hurdle in a yearslong process.

State of play: District officials revealed on Monday that they trimmed their recommended school-closure list from 18 to 17, sparing James R. Ludlow School in North Philly.

• Plus: The district now intends to invest in modernizing 169 schools, up from 159.

The result: The price tag has hit $3 billion, a 7% increase from previous estimates.

• New school investments in West and North Philly add roughly $157 million, compared with the previous plan.

Meanwhile, the district still intends to merge six schools.

The intrigue: In a reversal from an earlier plan, the district will retain ownership of schools slated for closure rather than transferring some of them to the city — at least for now.

• That's because the board needs more time to weigh "legal and policy considerations," superintendent Tony Watlington said at a news conference.
• That's a setback for Mayor Parker, who wanted those properties as a way to expand affordable housing.
• And the district has faced pressure to reduce its vacant buildings after a body was found near a long-abandoned district school last year.

What we're watching: The district plans on converting Lankenau High School (which is slated for closure) into an environmental education center for district students.

• The superintendent also hinted that the Paul Robeson High School property, which would close under the plan, could be used for a future "schooling opportunity."

What they're saying: "This plan is not just about the buildings themselves — it's reorganizing how we do things so we can better service why we exist," Reginald Streater, president of the school board, said at the news conference.

Go deeper

Democratic Party officials this week are launching their in-person vetting of potential 2028 convention sites, with trips to the finalist cities — Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver and Philly.

Why it matters: The Democratic National Convention is a crucial time for the party to reach a large national audience to make its case for retaking the White House in 2028.

• Teams representing the contending cities already are knifing one another to try to land the event, which can bring prestige and an economic boost from tens of thousands of visitors.

The intrigue: Each city has a team and outside allies trying to land the convention by promoting their city — and trying to undermine the others.

• Already, whisper campaigns are pointing out the potential flaws of each finalist:
• Atlanta doesn't have enough union hotels, Chicago hosted the convention in 2024, Boston signals "liberal elite," Denver isn't in a swing state — and Philly, the 2016 host, is a reminder of the year Hillary Clinton lost the election.

Driving the news: Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin and Alex Hornbrook, the executive director of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, are overseeing the selection process.

• They'll be joined this week by party leaders including DNC vice chair Malcolm Kenyatta, associate chair Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, and national finance chairs Chris Korge and Chris Lowe.

Between the lines: Which city lands the convention is a combination of politicking, money, messaging, and logistical capacity.

Zoom in: Philly has pulled out the stops in an all-out blitz to land the DNC, including having the "Godmother of Soul," Patti LaBelle, accompany the city's delegation to the Dems' spring meeting in New Orleans.

• The Democratic National Committee's site visit to the city is next week.

Share this story

🚇 Airbnb is footing the bill for SEPTA fares along the Broad Street line from NRG Station in South Philly after all six World Cup matches this summer, the hospitality company revealed yesterday.

• The free rides will begin at halftime and last for two hours following the end of the match.

👋 Eagles star receiver A.J. Brown will likely become a New England Patriot on or after June 1, multiple sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter.

• Plus: Eagles GM Howie Roseman could be plotting to make other deals during this week's draft weekend in Pittsburgh, like adding Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard.

🎓 Philly's top academic official, Jermaine Dawson, is leaving the district after being named CEO of Baltimore schools. (Inquirer)

U.S. beef supplies are shrinking, imports are rising and prices are stuck near record highs — with little relief in sight.

Why it matters: The all-American hamburger is becoming a luxury item, nudging consumers toward cheaper proteins like chicken and pork.

The latest: U.S. beef production is forecast to fall again in 2026, to about 25.79 billion pounds, according to a new USDA outlook.

• Prices are holding near record levels, with cattle expected to average roughly $241 per hundredweight this year — about 8% higher than 2025, per USDA estimates.
• Imports are rising to fill the gap, while exports are falling as domestic supply tightens.

The big picture: The U.S. beef market is shifting from a surge in prices to a plateau — where costs remain high because supply can't quickly recover.

• Ground beef averaged about $6.70 per pound in March for U.S. shoppers, roughly 16% higher than a year earlier, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Keep reading

The Philadelphia Parking Authority issued more than 151,000 tickets to people for violating no-parking restrictions during last year's neighborhood street cleaning program, the agency tells Axios.

Why it matters: At $31 per violation, that's more than $4.6 million the agency doled out in fines during the program, which ran from spring to fall.

Driving the news: The city's street sweeping program launched for the season earlier this month and runs through Oct. 29.

Zoom in: More than 42,000 — or about 28% — of those citations remain unpaid, PPA spokesperson Martin O'Rourke tells Axios.

The bottom line: Move ya damn car, people.