PHILADELPHIA (March 4, 2026) – Philly public school educators, city officials, and students and families on Wednesday rallied for Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed education funding package as part of a nationwide AFT Day of Action.

Members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT Local 3) at Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School welcomed Dr. Jermaine Dawson, Deputy Superintendent of Academic Services (representing Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington, Sr.); City Council Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Education Chair Isaiah Thomas, and At-Large Member Dr. Nina

PHILADELPHIA (February 26, 2026) – School District of Philadelphia employees, students, and community members urged the Board of Education on Thursday to delay implementation of a plan to close schools and radically disrupt learning in dozens of other schools by co-locating and moving student bodies and programs.

Members of the five unions representing District employees – Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT Local 3), which represents more than 14,000 educators; Unite Here Local 634, which represents school cafeteria employees and student climate staff; Teamsters Local 502 (CASA), which

PHILADELPHIA (February 17, 2026) – The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT Local 3), which represents more than 14,000 educators in the School District of Philadelphia, will urge City Council on Tuesday to extract all data and methodologies still being withheld by administrators underlying the recommendations of its 10-year Facilities Master Plan (FMP).

During a hearing on the plan held by Council's Committee of the Whole, PFT Chief of Staff LeShawna Coleman and Director of Environmental Science Jerry Roseman will present key finding of the union's review of the FMP.

Following are excerpts

PHILADELPHIA (February 3, 2026) –  Following is a statement from Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Arthur G. Steinberg on Governor Josh Shapiro's proposed FY2027 budget:

“Governor Shapiro’s proposed budget is more than a spending plan; it is a vision for what Pennsylvanians should aspire to achieve. This budget deepens investments in long-underfunded schools, frees districts from wasteful cyber charter obligations, empowers administrators to enact smart phone bans to enhance learning, and grows the child care and educator workforce – without raising taxes on working people. Overall

PHILADELPHIA (February 2, 2026) –  Following is a statement from Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Arthur G. Steinberg on the School District of Philadelphia's failure to ensure school buildings were heated and safe to resume in-person learning:

"'The School District should not have sent students and staff back into schools if they knew the buildings were going to lack adequate heat and working plumbing.

"We told the District last Thursday that they have a responsibility to make sure buildings are heated and comfortable before calling students and staff back for in-person learning