Philadelphia Board of Education

The Philadelphia Board of Education is the governing body of the School District of Philadelphia. Its nine members are appointed by the mayor, and it hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts the District's budget and policies, approves contracts and oversees charter schools authorized by the District. ^[1]

1 From the SRC to an appointed board

From 2001 to 2018 the District was run by the School Reform Commission (SRC), a five-member body created during the state takeover, with three members appointed by the Governor and two by the mayor. After years of criticism from parents, Council members and the teachers' union, the SRC voted in November 2017 to dissolve itself, and local control returned in July 2018 with a board appointed by the mayor. During the SRC era the District saw rapid charter-school growth, school closures and recurring budget crises, which critics cited in calling for a return to local control. ^[2]

2 Appointment and composition

Under the Home Rule Charter, an Educational Nominating Panel made up of community, parent, student and civic representatives reviews applicants and submits names to the mayor, who appoints nine members, subject to confirmation by City Council. According to the District, members serve four-year terms that align with the mayor's term.^[1] Mayor Cherelle Parker has appointed members to the board during her term, according to Inquirer and Chalkbeat reporting. ^[3] Members serve without pay. Because the mayor selects the members, the Board is closely tied to the Mayor's education priorities, and there is no direct election of members by voters.

3 Powers and duties

The Board has the powers of a Pennsylvania school board: it adopts the annual operating and capital budgets, sets the District's share of local tax requests, approves collective bargaining agreements, votes on school openings, closings and boundary changes, and acts as the charter authorizer for the District's charter schools under the state Charter School Law (including renewal, revocation and charter amendments). It holds regular public Action Meetings and committee meetings, subject to the Sunshine Act. ^[1]

4 Current leadership and recent decisions

Reginald Streater serves as Board president, according to the District's website and Philadelphia Tribune reporting on his return to the post.^[4] On April 30, 2026 the Board approved a facilities master plan under which 17 schools are set to close beginning with the 2027-28 school year, a decision that followed weeks of public testimony and pushback from City Council members, parents and others, according to WHYY and Chalkbeat. The Board's spring 2026 decisions also took place during a District budget shortfall. ^[5]

5 The elected-board debate

Whether the Board should be elected remains an ongoing civic question: after the closure vote, City Council voted unanimously in May 2026 to hold hearings on changes to how board members are selected, according to the Philadelphia Tribune and the Inquirer. Supporters of appointment argue that it fixes responsibility on one elected official and avoids low-turnout board elections; supporters of election argue that it gives residents direct control. A change would require amending the Home Rule Charter through a ballot question (see Ballot Questions and Charter Changes) and possibly state action.

6 Participating in Board meetings

Members of the public can sign up in advance to testify at Action Meetings, submit written comments, and watch meetings by livestream. Records, including budgets and resolutions, are available on the Board's website and through the Right-to-Know Law. See also How to Testify at City Council for comparable practices.

See also: School District of Philadelphia, Charter Schools in Philadelphia, Mayor of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Home Rule Charter.

References

1. School District of Philadelphia, Board of Education pages and Board policies (philasd.org/schoolboard).
2. Reporting by WHYY and Chalkbeat Philadelphia on the dissolution of the School Reform Commission and the return to local control (2017-2018).
3. Philadelphia Inquirer and Chalkbeat Philadelphia reporting on the Parker-appointed Board (2024-2025).
4. Philadelphia Tribune, "Philly school board elects Reginald Streater to return as president"; School District of Philadelphia Board of Education news posts (2026).
5. WHYY, "Philadelphia school board approves facility plan, district to close 17 schools" (April 30-May 1, 2026); Chalkbeat Philadelphia, facilities-plan coverage (February-May 2026).