16 PPS schools could be closing as part of new facilities utilization plan

Pittsburgh Public Schools hired a consulting firm to come up with a facilities utilization plan, and during a meeting Tuesday night, leaders offered a first look at which schools could be on the chopping block.

>> Some parents against plan to consolidate Pittsburgh Public Schools

The proposed plan would result in the closure of 16 schools, including Carrick High School, and replace it with a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center. Those who would have attended Carrick would, instead, go to Brashear.

“Everybody should know that about 25% of Carrick residents don’t own a car, so that is going to be a very big hurdle getting folks to Brashear,” said Jamie Piotrowski of District 7.

Manchester K-8 is also on the list.

“I think it’s sad because the younger ones – they come here and they learn so much,” said Glenda Russell of Manchester. “They need to leave the school open for them…for the neighborhood children.”

The plan would also change grade configurations, making each school in the district either K-5, 6-8, or 9-12, potentially leading to larger class sizes.

PPS faces a $23 million budget deficit.

While some Board of Directors members say they understand that changes need to be made, others believe that some of the closures, like that of Manchester, which would, instead, be home to CAPA students, send the wrong message.

“Your exceptional students can then come in and take your space. You will have to literally get off your school bus walk past the school you used to go to just to see people that have special talents occupy the space that you just got kicked out of,” said Dwayne Barker of District 8.

There will be several public meetings about these recommendations before a final recommendation comes from the consulting firm next month.

The full list of proposed school closures is below:

• Arsenal PreK-5
• Fulton PreK-5
• Lincoln PreK-5
• Linden K-5
• Manchester PreK-8
• Roosevelt K-5
• Weil PreK-5
• Whittier K-5
• Woolslair PreK-5
• Carrick High School
• Allegheny 6-8
• Schiller 6-8
• South Brook 6-8
• South Hills 6-8
• Milliones 6-12

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