Pittsburgh Public Schools officials on Tuesday presented more information on the impacts its proposed Future-Ready Facilities Plan will have on school instruction, staffing and finances.
The plan calls for the closure of nine buildings and 12 schools, reconfigures grade structures at some district buildings and phases out nearly all elementary-level magnet programs.
“We understand that change can be challenging and families may make different decisions based on what they believe is best for their child,” Ebony Pugh, PPS spokeswoman, told the school board Tuesday night. “While we hope families will continue with us, we respect those choices. At the same time, we are confident in the quality of our schools and the opportunities this plan is designed to create.”
School buildings that would close are Manchester, Schiller, Friendship (Montessori), Fulton, Miller African-Centered Academy, Woolslair, the Student Achievement Center, Spring Hill and part of Morrow.
The plan was defeated in a 6-3 board vote last November. But the discussion was brought back to the school board’s table in January, at board members’ request. Pugh and district administration presented more information Tuesday in response to board questions.
It’s anticipated the board will make a decision on the plan by the end of this school year. If approved, changes wouldn’t be implemented until the 2027-28 school year.
The plan has had public pushback. Opponents of the plan say there was not enough clarity or public input for the decisions. They also questioned the rationale why some schools were slated for closure. Nearly 80 people spoke out against the plan during a November public hearing.
Pugh said Tuesday that the plan addresses uneven enrollment and inequitable access across district schools.
To strengthen feeder alignment, the plan:
• Realigns Lincoln-Belmar students in sixth through eighth grades to attend Sterrett and later into Westinghouse
• Assigns East Hills elementary students to Faison, eliminating split assignments and reduces travel times
• Reassigns Hazelwood students to geographically-aligned schools like Greenfield and Colfax
• Adjusts Mount Oliver elementary assignments
• Reverts West End attendance zones to maintain balanced enrollment at Langley and Westwood
• Reassigns portions of Garfield to Sunnyside to relieve pressure at Liberty
• Shifts Upper Hill students to Liberty
• Expands Lincoln’s boundary lines to relieve projected overcrowding at Faison
• Implements phased transitions for Perry North and Summer Hill elementary students to remain at Morrow until a new Northview school opens
• Establishes a temporary English Language Development center at Morrow to relieve pressure at King until Northview opens
• Shifts early childhood classrooms at King at Allegheny and adds additional early childhood classrooms, within a new early childhood center, at the Allegheny Annex.
Phased implementation would manage short-term capacity challenges at buildings, Pugh said.
“This approach allows the district to avoid costly and time-intensive full rebuilds, improve more schools more efficiently, and make deeper, more meaningful investments, such as air conditioning in buildings that will remain in use,” Pugh said.
Under the plan, PPS is projecting a reduction of daily bus trips from 986 to 402, and a reduction of the average ride time from about 35 minutes to 17 minutes, Pugh said.
PPS is not currently positioned to expand its CAPA and Montessori magnets, Pugh said.
She said the plan would expand access to extracurriculars like partnerships and intramural sports, prioritize facility improvements, standardize restorative practices and strengthen health and wellness systems.
On staffing, the district would hire two project managers to oversee the plan’s implementation. A deputy superintendent would also be hired, but that role would cover more than just the plan implementation, said Superintendent Wayne Walters, who participated in the meeting remotely.
If the plan is implemented, financial projections show the district will reduce its operating deficit in 2027 but will slightly increase by 2030. Chief Financial Officer Ron Joseph said that while the plan does not fully solve the district’s financial situation, “it helps provide some relief and gives us more time.”