Two schools targeted for closure by the Education Department have gotten a reprieve.

City officials Tuesday afternoon withdrew their proposal to get rid of the 6th-8th grades of the Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Harlem and phase out Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy VII (KAPPA) in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn. The proposals were to be voted on at Thursday's Panel for Educational Policy meeting. There are still 23 schools on the chopping block. The effort to truncate Wadleigh had drawn protests by community members.

"Over the last two months we have closely monitored all 25 schools and listened to what their respective communities have had to say," Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said in a statement. "And so while these two schools continue to struggle, what we learned is that they are also poised to quickly improve. We will pay close attention to both going forward."

Wadleigh will get a new principal, Tyee Chin, who comes from Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn.

KAPPA's principal, who took over running the school this year, will be allowed to remain and continue her efforts to make improvements.