All Philadelphia public school buildings will remain closed through the end of the 2019-2020 academic year, according to an announcement on Thursday by the School District of Philadelphia. This decision was made in compliance with a new directive by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Instruction and learning will soon begin remotely. A “review and enrichment learning phase” for all students will take place for two weeks beginning April 20. Instruction will continue beginning May 4 with new lessons in all content areas, aligned to grade-level standards made available to teachers on a weekly basis. 

The District continues distributing Chromebooks to students that will allow them to participate in remote learning programming. So far, 173 District schools have already received their Chromebook shipments. Chromebook distribution will continue throughout next week with the expectation that all remaining schools will have distributed devices by Friday, April 17.

The District has also been working with the City of Philadelphia to provide a comprehensive list of low-cost Internet options or details on accessing free WiFi mobile hotspots to ensure that students can participate in distance learning. More information on these free and low-cost internet options is available here.

The District has decided not to extend the school year past the current school calendar, but will provide expanded opportunities for credit recovery, special education, and other programs to support students.

Meals for students will continue to be available at 49 School District meal distribution sites. Grab-and-go meal service originally scheduled for Monday, April 13 will take place on Tuesday, April 14 (from 9 a.m. to noon) due to the holiday. Regular meal distribution will resume on Thursday, April 16.

For additional information and updates, visit: www.philasd.org.