Posted on November 6, 2024
Categories: News from SDP

Dear School District of Philadelphia Families,

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, is currently negotiating a new contract with the Transport Workers Union Local 234. The current contract expires on Thursday November 7, 2024, and the union has already voted to authorize a strike if a new contract agreement is not reached by then. In that case, it is possible that a SEPTA strike could occur as early as 12 am on Friday, November 8, 2024. The strike would affect most City Bus and Metro Services. Visit the SEPTA website to learn if your service could be affected. While the School District of Philadelphia is not directly involved in these contract negotiations, it is clear that a SEPTA strike would impact the operation of our District.

I respect the right of union members to advocate for themselves. I do hope that this strike can be avoided so that we can continue to operate normally and support the social, emotional and academic needs of our students without disruption. However, it is critically important that we remain informed and prepared. Here are the items we are considering as we prepare to support students and families in the event of a SEPTA strike:

  • Student Transportation Impact – Nearly 55,000 Philadelphia students would be impacted. In the midst of an ongoing national driver shortage, providing transportation support to all students who would need it during a strike would not be an option.
  • Student Attendance – Attending school in person daily is very important to increasing student achievement, in fact our students improved in 9 out of 13 areas due to increased student attendance. School attendance also provides our young people with the support services that they need for their social, emotional and academic well-being. Unfortunately, teachers are not able to deliver in-person and virtual instruction at the same time. Students who are late or absent due to SEPTA-related travel challenges will not be marked late, or will be excused upon receipt of a note from the parent or guardian.
  • Staff Attendance and Travel Impact – Many of our staff rely on SEPTA to travel to and from our schools and offices. All late arrivals due to SEPTA-related travel challenges will be recorded as excused. We will monitor staffing levels and will deploy Central Office staffing support, as needed.
  • School Operations– We are fully committed to ensuring that learning continues for all students in the event of a SEPTA strike. The District will closely monitor student and staff attendance at all schools. In cases where student or staff attendance is dramatically affected by the strike, the District may recommend that a school move to virtual instruction. In such a case, District and school leadership will ensure that all students, including and especially those with special needs, are equipped with the digital and physical materials they need to participate in virtual learning. Teachers will not deliver in-person and virtual instruction at the same time.
  • Student Supports – We are also committed to maintaining vital supports for our students and families such as technology services, safety and more. We are considering all of these services during our preparation and planning.

What You Should Do Now

We realize that there are a lot of unanswered questions at this time about how our District will operate if a SEPTA strike occurs. We ask for your patience as we thoughtfully work through our options. In the meantime:

I will provide another update as soon as we hear a decision from Local 234. Thank you for your patience as we will work to continue to support student achievement, even in the midst of this challenge.

In partnership,

Tony B. Watlington Sr., Ed.D.

Tony informal signature
Superintendent
The School District of Philadelphia