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Philadelphia, PA 19130
Phone: 215-400-5647
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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

  1. What is Imagine Great Schools?
  2. What will the School District decide under the Imagine Great Schools initiative? What will the District use to make decisions?
  3. Could some schools close?
  4. How can I get involved?
  5. My child's school is a Renaissance School, what does that mean for this process?
  6. How is enrollment, both current and projected, estimated?
  7. How was the consultant team selected?
  8. Are there examples of other FMP projects in which the consultant team served?
  9. What is the Facility Condition Index and how is it calculated?
  10. How were the six meeting Areas identified?
  11. When will the District share school-specific data, and what will that data include?
  12. What are the remaining project tasks and when will they occur?
  13. Who will make final decisions?
  14. How will decisions be communicated to stakeholders?
  15. When will the public be notified about final decisions?
  16. When will final decisions be implemented?
  17. Are schools that have small class sizes identified as schools that have high unused capacity?
  18. If schools are consolidated, will class size increase?
  19. What will happen if schools are consolidated to use a building to capacity, and then in the future enrollment increases? Could this lead to overcrowding?
  20. What will happen to schools that are already overcrowded?
  21. How will this plan impact educational programming?
  22. How has community input factored in this plan? How has outreach been conducted for this project so far?
  23. Did the District visit each school in preparation for this planning process?
  24. What role will elected officials have in the FMP process?
  25. In what way is student input informing this plan?
  26. Did the plan incorporate such factors as AYP, dropout rates, incidents of violence, and transient students?
  27. Does the enrollment, both current and projected, of charter schools factor in this plan?
  28. Will there be transition plans to help all students move to a new school if their current school is closed?
  29. What services will help reassigned administration, faculty and staff transition to new schools and new students?
  30. Will there be special transition services for students with special learning or language needs?
  31. How much will closing schools and repairing schools cost and how will the School District fund these activities?
  32. How will the administration, faculty and staff of closed schools be reassigned?
  33. Will there be a reduction in administration, faculty and staff size as a result of this plan?
  34. How will Renaissance, magnet, vocational, or schools that specialize for students with special learning needs be impacted by this plan?
  35. Will parents and students still have the same opportunities for school choice that they currently enjoy?
  36. Will special admissions processes change?
  37. Why do so many people transfer out of the neighborhood district?
  38. How will this plan manage school climate changes and security problems as different social groups, neighborhoods and gangs are merged in a single school?
  39. Will transportation services be provided for students reassigned to new schools?
  40. Will some closures require students to travel very far to their new assigned school?
  41. What will happen to a school building once it is closed?
  42. Will students who transfer outside of their catchment be required to attend their neighborhood school, even if the school they are currently attending does not close?
  43. Will there be conversions of K-8 schools back to elementary and middle schools?
  1. What is Imagine Great Schools?
    Imagine Great Schools is The School District of Philadelphia's
    comprehensive long-range facilities master plan.
    This critical initiative is a key component of the District's
    five-year strategic plan, Imagine 2014, and was created to provide a
    roadmap
    for the District to review its educational programs and
    facilities.
  2. What will the School District decide under the Imagine Great Schools initiative? What will the District use to make decisions?

    The School District will decide what the future academic experience will be for students attending a District-operated school. Through this process, the District will review its delivery of Early Childhood Education, Special Education, Vocational Programming, Alternative Education, Athletics, Magnet Programs, and Student Support Services and determine how to best provide these in the future.

    Decisions will also be made about which buildings to repair, renovate, or close. Several factors will be considered when making these decisions, including:

    • School Size
    • Grade Organization
    • Facility Condition
    • Enrollment Trends
    • Parent and Community Feedback
    • Charter Schools
    • Neighborhood Impact
    • Historic Preservation
    • Program Accessibility
    • School Performance
    • Student Travel Distance
  3. Could some schools close?

    Yes, The School District will have to make some difficult decisions and may determine that some schools will need to be closed. It is also possible that some schools will also need to be relocated or share space with another school program in a District-operated building.

    School buildings play an important role in a community, and the District is committed to being a responsible steward and working with all stakeholders to determine the best use of our resources.

  4. How can I get involved?

    Through this process, The School District has committed to three (3) phases of meetings with parent and community stakeholders to gather feedback to incorporate into the final Imagine Great Schools facilities master plan.

    1. During the first phase of meetings held in November and December 2010, participants commented on the "must haves" for all schools in the areas of educational program, facility improvements, and safety, comfort, and cleanliness. All resulting comments were compiled and closely analyzed by the District.
    2. At the second phase of community meetings in February 2011, participants will be asked to identify the 5 most important education programs and facility improvements for District operated schools. They will learn about school size, grade organization, enrollment trends, and demographic changes; and be asked to provide input on how the District should implement its school closing and consolidation process.
    3. At the third phase of meetings, The School District will present its recommended Imagine Great Schools facilities master plan and gather parent and community feedback before finalizing and submitting the plan for approval by the School Reform Commission.

    It is important for you to participate in these meetings to provide feedback and help inform the District's decisions. The Imagine Great Schools meeting schedule can be found here.

  5. My child's school is a Renaissance School, what does that mean for this process?
    There are District staff who are involved in both the Renaissance Schools initiative and the Imagine Great Schools

    facilities master plan to ensure consistency when decisions are being
    made. The District will also work with each Renaissance School's
    Advisory Council to gather input,
    share key findings and coordinate planning.
  6. How is enrollment, both current and projected, estimated?

    Enrollment is estimated based on updated population counts from the 2000 U.S. Census, information from the City of Philadelphia, and data from the Philadelphia Housing Authority. Projections were completed by DeJong-Richter, a nationally recognized educational facility planning firm that is working in collaboration with URS Corporation, McKissick & Associates, Magellan K-12 Consulting, and Portfolio Associates in creating a plan for more efficient use of facilities that better align demographics and curriculum.

    The URS analysis of the amount of excess capacity in District-operated schools yielded more than 70,000 empty seats. The method for analysis used District-provided data on school-by-school classroom counts by building and calculated capacity by using the following formula:

    Learning Space Count* x Recommended Class Size x 75%**= Capacity

    *includes empty school buildings, leased space, and annexes
    ** factor assumes other space usage

    Two main factors have contributed to the decline in enrollment in District-operated schools: shrinking school-age population and increased school choice.

  7. How was the consultant team selected?
    Recognizing that this is an incredibly complex and comprehensive
    undertaking, the District sought out potential partners with
    demonstrated expertise and experience in facilities master planning. An
    RFQ was issued, a number of proposals were reviewed, and the School
    Reform Commission selected URS to lead this project. URS and its
    subcontractors have significant experience in running similar projects
    in school districts of every size throughout the United States.
  8. Are there examples of other FMP projects in which the consultant team served?

    Yes, the team has worked on similar initiatives in the following districts:

     

    • Cincinnati Public Schools
    • Pittsburgh Public Schools
    • Houston Independent School District
    • Ft. Worth Independent School District
    • Portland Public Schools
    • Montgomery County Schools (AL)
    • Duval County Schools (FL)
    • Broward County Schools (FL)
  9. What is the Facility Condition Index and how is it calculated?
    The Facility Condition Index (FCI) is used throughout the facilities
    management industry as a general indicator of a building's health as
    related to the various building systems. It is ultimately used to inform
    decision-making related to a building's disposition or to compare the
    conditions of a group of buildings. The FCI is calculated by dividing
    the cost to fully renovate a building by the cost to replace the
    facility (Replacement Value).
  10. How were the six meeting Areas identified?

    The planning areas were identified based on the City Planning Commission's 18 planning districts, and were condensed into six areas according to number of schools within each, existing feeding patterns for groups of schools, as well as the accessibility of each region for community meetings. The planning areas are as follows:

     

    • Northeast
    • North-Central
    • Northwest
    • West
    • Southwest
    • South-Central
  11. When will the District share school-specific data, and what will that data include?

    The District will post school-specific data on April 8th on the FMP website. The data will include each school's capacity, Facility Condition Index and School Performance Index (SPI).

    The School Performance Index (SPI) is a comprehensive method for comparing the success of all schools – public and public charter schools – on a variety of key components. The SPI combines and weights the following into a single calculated score:

     

    • student proficiency
    • student growth
    • student attendance
    • survey data
    • college preparatory data (high schools only)
  12. What are the remaining project tasks and when will they occur?

    The District is continuing to seek community and stakeholder input on the "Imagine Great Schools" plan before it is finalized. Between April 14th and May 12th, the District will hold six community meetings. In this third phase of facilities master plan community meetings, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the immediate changes for the 2011-12 school year, comment on proposed policies to guide right-sizing of schools and the District, see the framework for decision-making in future phases and learn how to access school-specific data. After these public meetings, the District and SRC will consider the input received and make adjustments to the policies and/or draft plan as necessary.

    In September of each of the next two years, the District will draft recommendations to meet utilization goals which will then be presented in October at a special SRC hearing. From October to December, the District will host community meetings on these recommendations, and in January the SRC will vote on the rightsizing proposals. Finally, from January to May, the District will work with affected schools on transition planning and implementation.

  13. Who will make final decisions?
    Stakeholders from various arenas have been engaged throughout each stage
    of the FMP, and their input has been a major factor in the
    decision-making process.
    The FMP team, consisting of District leadership and the
    consultancy team led by DeJong-Richter and URS Corporation, will make
    recommendations to the School Reform Commission,
    which bears ultimate responsibility to make final decisions.
  14. How will decisions be communicated to stakeholders?
    The District's recommendations will be made at a public meeting of the
    School Reform Commission.
    All stakeholders are invited to attend. After this meeting,
    additional meetings will be scheduled at schools to discuss the
    recommendations
    and their implications with the community and parents. Local
    officials will be briefed about schools in their districts.
    Employees will be notified of staffing changes and transfers, if
    applicable, specific to the school in which they currently work.
  15. When will the public be notified about final decisions?
    The public will have the opportunity to attend meetings to discuss
    recommendations prior to the final School Reform Commission vote in May.
    The meeting schedule can be found on the FMP website.
    After the vote,
    the District will update the webpage with the decisions and
    next steps. Parents and staff will also receive notification from the
    District of the decisions made affecting their specific
    schools.
  16. When will final decisions be implemented?
    We anticipate the decisions to be implemented in phases over the next three years.
    The recommendations presented in April will provide more detail on the proposed implementation timeline.
  17. Are schools that have small class sizes identified as schools that have high unused capacity?
    The District is using an average class size of 26.5 at the elementary
    school level (grades K-5) and 28 at the secondary school level
    (grades 6-12) for the purpose of developing a long-range plan.
    It is important to note, however, that not all programs have the same
    class size requirements,
    (i.e. Special Education ranges are 8-15/classroom and
    Vocational Space 18-25/classroom) and adjustments will be made as
    necessary. That said, yes,
    in many cases schools with smaller classes may be considered to
    have a lower utilization. Utilization is calculated by dividing a
    school's current enrollment by its capacity.
  18. If schools are consolidated, will class size increase?
    Class sizes may increase if schools are consolidated, but that it is not
    a guarantee.
    This is dependent on the school's current enrollment and capacity, as
    well as program offerings.
    Any changes to class size will be within the scope of current
    contractual agreements. Also, be aware that with the anticipated budget
    shortfall next year,
    schools must increase their efficiency and in some cases that may be
    by increasing class sizes in order to preserve other important
    resources.
  19. What will happen if schools are consolidated to use a building to capacity, and then in the future enrollment increases? Could this lead to overcrowding?
    We are creating a long-range plan that takes into account future
    enrollment projections.
    The method used to calculate capacity allows for growth in
    enrollment. Although we want to efficiently use our school facilities,
    we recognize that there needs to be a certain amount of space
    available for non-classroom use for the general comfort of students and
    staff as well as to allow for future growth.
  20. What will happen to schools that are already overcrowded?
    There are various options for overcrowded schools. We will look at
    possible boundary changes, building renovations, adjustments to feeder
    patterns or changing the program offerings. To determine which option
    may be best for an individual school, we must first look at why the
    school is overcrowded. For example, does the school have a specific
    program that may not be offered elsewhere? If that is the case, perhaps
    we can expand that program offering at other schools. Are there a
    large number of students attending from outside of the catchment area?
    In that case, we'll look at why students are choosing to not attend
    their neighborhood school and what changes/improvements can be made to
    those neighborhood schools to make it more attractive for students and
    families. To that end, overcrowded schools are not an efficient use of
    our resources and just as we must make adjustments to buildings with low
    utilization, we also must factor in ways to improve the learning
    environment in those with high utilization.
  21. How will this plan impact educational programming?
    This plan will allow the District to focus our resources on learning
    environments that facilitate the improvement of student achievement and
    accelerate our progress.
    We must identify those programs that are successful and find
    way to replicate or relocate those depending on the facility condition
    and utilization of a school.
    This planning process is a critical step toward the long-term
    benefits outlined in the Imagine 2014 plan, including academic
    alignment,
    more equitable access to program offerings, and more resources
    invested directly into the classroom.
  22. How has community input factored in this plan? How has outreach been conducted for this project so far?

    Before the planning process got underway, the District conducted three focus group sessions to discuss with community members, business and civic leaders as well as elected officials, how this comprehensive process would work. Ensuring we have community input was a common theme across these focus groups.

    During the first phase of community meetings, held in November and December 2010, those who attended were asked to provide what they believed were "must haves" in a school. These were categorized by educational programs, facilities and safety, comfort and cleanliness. All resulting comments were compiled and closely analyzed by the District. More than 700 individuals participated in this discussion and the basic needs that were revealed can be found in the Phase I update.

    The second phase of community meetings in February 2011 was an opportunity for the District to share area-specific data and obtain questions from the public to help inform the remainder of the process. The input gathered at these meetings provided District staff with a better understanding of what the community expected to result from the successful development and implementation of this plan. The input also again informed the District of areas of importance for the community by highlighting questions that needed to be addressed. This list of frequently asked questions is a compilation of questions received during the meetings.

    During the third round of community meetings in April and May 2011, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the immediate changes for the 2011-12 school year, comment on proposed policies to guide right-sizing of schools and the District, see the framework for decision-making in future phases and learn how to access school-specific data. After these public meetings, the District and SRC will consider the input received and make adjustments to the policies and/or draft plan as necessary.

    It is important for you to participate in these meetings to provide feedback and help inform the District's decisions. The Imagine Great Schools meeting schedule can be found at here.

    Outreach for these meetings has been conducted through the District's website, media outlets, parent ombudsmen at the schools, flyers distributed to community groups, and information sent home with students for parents. ParentLink and automated calls were also used to inform parents of the meetings and encourage them to attend.

  23. Did the District visit each school in preparation for this planning process?
    District staff visited schools to gather and verify information related to the condition of the facility and its capacity.
  24. What role will elected officials have in the FMP process?
    The District has provided information to elected officials throughout
    the planning process and will continue to do so as recommendations are
    made.
  25. In what way is student input informing this plan?
    Students are welcome to join each round of the community meetings and
    provide input, just as parents, staff and community members are.
    The District consistently listens to and values student insight, and
    in fact, students have participated in the FMP process to date.
  26. Did the plan incorporate such factors as AYP, dropout rates, incidents of violence, and transient students?
    Yes, the recommendations made under the facilities master plan will take into consideration a number of factors including,
    but not limited to, school performance, neighborhood concerns and transportation issues.
  27. Does the enrollment, both current and projected, of charter schools factor in this plan?
    Yes, charter school enrollment does factor into the FMP. The first
    charter schools were authorized by the Philadelphia Board of Education
    in 1997;
    since then, the number of charter schools in Philadelphia has
    grown to 67. The total number of students enrolled in the
    School District of Philadelphia has declined over the past
    decade as the number of students enrolled in charter schools has
    increased.
    This year, nearly one of every five Philadelphia public school
    students attends a charter school, and this trend will be a factor in
    recommendations made under the FMP.
  28. Will there be transition plans to help all students move to a new school if their current school is closed?
    Yes, the District will make every effort to accommodate students who
    will attend a new school based on the results of the FMP.
    This process will be implemented on a case-by-case basis, and all
    students and parents affected will receive communications from their
    school administrators.
  29. What services will help reassigned administration, faculty and staff transition to new schools and new students?

    The District is currently working on a transition plan, which will involve the following elements:

     

    • District single point of contact to manage transition
    • Building tours
    • Renovations and fulfillment of outstanding work orders
    • Monthly transition meetings
    • Parent, staff, & community input on:
      • o Principal selection
      o Afterschool & extracurricular programs
      o Budget
    • Safety plan

    The District will communicate the implementation of the transition plan as needed to those affected.

  30. Will there be special transition services for students with special learning or language needs?
    Special transition services for students with specific needs will also be addressed on a
    case-by-case basis as FMP decisions are made, and will be communicated by administrators.
  31. How much will closing schools and repairing schools cost and how will the School District fund these activities?
    The total budget for school repairs and closing costs under the FMP has
    not yet been determined.
    What is known, however, is that it is incredibly inefficient
    and a misuse of limited resources to maintain a system with 70,000 empty
    seats.
    Those resources must be redirected to support access to 21st
    century learning environments for all of our students.
  32. How will the administration, faculty and staff of closed schools be reassigned?
    Any reassignments necessitated under the FMP will be conducted in
    accordance with each affected employee's collective bargaining unit
    requirements.
  33. Will there be a reduction in administration, faculty and staff size as a result of this plan?
    Yes, there is likely to be a reduction in staff as a result of this
    plan, but it is too premature to determine the size, scope and timing of
    any reductions needed.
  34. How will Renaissance, magnet, vocational, or schools that specialize for students with special learning needs be impacted by this plan?
    Specialty schools will receive equal consideration in the facilities
    master plan so as to ensure that all students have equitable access to
    21st century learning environments.
  35. Will parents and students still have the same opportunities for school choice that they currently enjoy?
    Yes, in fact one of the goals of the FMP is to expand quality choice opportunities for all of our parents and students.
  36. Will special admissions processes change?
    No, the special admissions process will not change.
  37. Why do so many people transfer out of the neighborhood district?
    This is most likely due to a number of different factors, including a
    robust high school choice program, District transportation policy, and
    perceptions of neighborhood schools.
  38. How will this plan manage school climate changes and security problems as different social groups, neighborhoods and gangs are merged in a single school?
    These neighborhood and community factors will certainly be taken into
    consideration as the FMP is developed and implemented.
    The District will work with school officials, community
    organizations and other stakeholders as decisions are made and
    implemented to ensure safe transitions throughout.
  39. Will transportation services be provided for students reassigned to new schools?
    The District has made strides to mitigate excessive transportation
    needs; transportation services will be provided as per the
    transportation policy.
    Please visit www.philasd.org/transportation for more information.
  40. Will some closures require students to travel very far to their new assigned school?
    Transit time will be one of several factors considered in
    recommendations made under the FMP, and the District will work to keep
    such times to a minimum.
  41. What will happen to a school building once it is closed?

    A critical component of the long range plan must involve exploring adaptive reuse options and disposition plan for vacant buildings. Community feedback will be sought out and factored into final decisions. Depending on their location and accessibility, school properties can be transformed to meet a variety of needs, including:

    • Charter schools or other educational uses
    • Housing
    • Early childhood
    • Healthcare
    • Community recreation/green space

    School buildings play an important role in a community, and the District is committed to being a responsible steward and working with all stakeholders to determine the best use of our resources should such decisions need to be made.

    District staff is proposing a new Adaptive Reuse Policy, which applies to current surplus properties and future closed school buildings. The reuse policy seeks to do the following:

     

    • Allow for timely disposition of District buildings
    • Offer a sliding scale discount based on type of user
    • Initiate a Request for Interest (RFI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) to gather ideas for reuse of surplus facilities
    • Requires community participation in the evaluation of proposals and recommendation to the SRC

    The policy will be posted on the FMP website for review, comments, and suggestions for revisions from the public.

  42. Will students who transfer outside of their catchment be required to attend their neighborhood school, even if the school they are currently attending does not close?
    No, students will be given the option to attend their neighborhood school but will not be required to do so.
  43. Will there be conversions of K-8 schools back to elementary and middle schools?
    Yes, in some cases, there may be conversions of selected K-8 schools back to elementary and middle schools.