Middle and high school students from the Wilkinsburg Public School District could be going to Pittsburgh schools next year.
In a joint move Wednesday night, the Wilkinsburg district announced it will close its grades 7-12 school building and send those 200-plus students to Westinghouse 6-12 next year. The plan is still pending approval next month by the boards of both districts.
“After learning of the challenges facing the Wilkinsburg School District, and out of care and concern for its students, we felt it was our responsibility as educators to determine if we could create a cross-district partnership that serves both districts well and provides a better educational program for Wilkinsburg’s seventh through twelfth grade students,” said Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Linda Lane. “It was important that we ensured that any agreement brought before our Board does not adversely impact our service to Pittsburgh’s children and at minimum has a cost neutral impact on our budget.”
The Pittsburgh Public School District says this will be a cost-neutral move. A community meeting is scheduled to take place at Pittsburgh Westinghouse on Thursday, October 15th from 6:00 p.m. -7:30 p.m.
The Wilkinsburg students could apply for spots in Pittsburgh's magnet schools — but only after qualifying Pittsburgh students get spots.
In the meantime, the Wilkinsburg School District plans to spend $10 million to renovate its two elementary schools. There is no plan to spruce up the district’s high school, which was built in 1910 and renovated in 1940.
