Operated by a variety of providers, such as companies and universities, the schools were evaluated on their academic performance and their climate, including attendance and violence.
Privatization, considered by many the core of sweeping changes imposed under a Republican-led state takeover, came to the district in 2002. The decision put Philadelphia in the national vanguard.
At one point, officials considered turning the entire district over to Edison Schools Inc., a for-profit provider that runs 20 schools, four of which will return to district control.
But in the last six years, the privately run schools have not proved to be a silver bullet. The schools failed to deliver higher test scores than district schools did, despite costly interventions.
Sandra Dungee Glenn, School Reform Commission chairwoman, said it was time for action.
"It's been six years, and it's time to sort it out," she said. "We need to be tailoring and matching models to the needs of each school."
Still, despite the hard line, the "diverse provider" model is a worthy one and here to stay in Philadelphia, Dungee Glenn said.
Schools that are performing well will need no district interventions, and their best practices will be shared with struggling schools, she said.
"We're also not closing the door to new relationships," Dungee Glenn said.
The six that will open in September as district schools - Gillespie, Harrity, Potter-Thomas, Stetson, Dunbar and Fitzsimons - have repeatedly failed to meet state standards and district targets. They will receive intense district support, including teacher coaches, targeted professional development, a parent-outreach worker, and a social worker.
