Dear School District of Philadelphia Community,

On Wednesday, November 20, 2024 the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, and the Transport Workers Union Local 234 reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. As a result, a SEPTA workers strike is no longer imminent, and the School District will operate normally.

A SEPTA strike would have significantly impacted the School District’s operations, and nearly 55,000 Philadelphia students. We are grateful that the parties involved continued good faith negotiations even after the last contract expired, and were able to come to a satisfactory agreement. Union members will vote to ratify the agreement, which would then go into effect on December 8th.

I am happy for SEPTA and the members of the Transport Workers Union. And I am relieved that we can continue supporting students and families, and accelerating Philly, without interruption.

In partnership,

Tony B. Watlington Sr., Ed.D.
Superintendent
The School District of Philadelphia