After months of planning, analysis and public feedback, Pittsburgh Public Schools announced late Friday that no school closures will take effect for the 2025-2026 school year.
Superintendent Wayne Walters said the decision will allow school leaders more time to comprehensively review the recommendations consultants hired by the district delivered last month. The proposal — delivered by the Boston-based consulting firm Education Resource Strategies — recommended PPS permanently close 10 school buildings and reconfigure more than a dozen others.
“ERS has put forth transformative recommendations for reimagining the school portfolio of Pittsburgh Public Schools,” Walters said in a statement. “We are focused on analyzing the proposed recommendations to assess feasibility in our District. To ensure adequate time for thoughtful planning and effective implementation, we recommend no changes for the 2025-2026 school year.”
District leaders began discussing the possibility of school closures just over a year ago, when PPS chief financial officer Ron Joseph raised alarms about a mounting budget deficit and significant enrollment declines. The district has lost 5,241 students since 2015, according to the latest budget proposal.
In the spring, PPS entered into a nearly $250,000 contract with ERS to design ways to address that enrollment loss, as well as the inequitable distribution of resources districtwide.
After multiple rounds of community input sessions and town halls, consultants suggested that the district reduce its footprint by more than a dozen school buildings across the city. The changes were anticipated to save the district up to $3 million annually in operating costs and more than $50 million in capital improvement expenses, according to the district’s preliminary 2025 budget.
The following schools were slated for closure immediately following the completion of the 2024-2025 school year, and more in subsequent years: Linden PreK-5, Miller PreK-5, Roosevelt PreK-5, Spring Hill K-5, Allegheny 6-8, Schiller 6-8, South Hills 6-8 and part of Morrow PreK-8.
While those closures are now postponed, Walters alluded to the importance of future closures
“Change is essential to ensure that all students — no matter their zip code — have access to high-quality learning environments and experiences that prepare them for success in all aspects of life,” Walters said Friday. “Our commitment is unwavering, and we will continue to build a future where every Pittsburgh Public Schools student has the resources and opportunities needed to thrive.”
Many parents, students and staff members raised concerns about the district’s compressed timeline for closures, as well as the transition’s impact on Black students, English learners and students with disabilities.
This district is now conducting a study to analyze the feasibility of ERS’ proposals, including the effect on attendance zones, student transportation and district finances. District leaders said they will take into account community feedback, as well as an alternative plan drafted by PPS parents, as they review next steps. The final feasibility report and a proposed timeline are expected early next year.
The district’s magnet school fair, meanwhile, will be held on Dec. 7 at Obama Academy. Walters reassured families that no changes in the district’s magnet programs — which consultants proposed phasing out — will be made for the 2025-2026 school year.
The district cannot guarantee, however, that students enrolled or accepted into a magnet school will be able to remain there beyond the 2025-2026 school year.
“While there will be no changes for the 2025-2026 school year, we understand that families still have questions about program availability in the years to come,” Walters added. “We are committed to a stable and thoughtful approach to portfolio changes, ensuring high-quality options for the students and families of Pittsburgh Public Schools.”
