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1901 Centre Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA, 15219
United States

412-697-1298

The District's Facilities Utilization Plan

The District’s Facilities Utilization Plan: What we know and where to find more information

Prompted by declining student enrollment, inequities in opportunities across the district, the need for costly upgrades to old school buildings, and other budgetary issues, Superintendent Wayne Walters and his administration worked with a consultant group to gather information and create a proposal for a “Facilities Utilization Plan,” which was released in August. After providing the initial proposal to the school board and the public, the consultants solicited more community feedback, and provided a final set of recommendations for school closures and consolidations in October. The administration was expected to follow up in November with a feasibility plan for how the consultant recommendations will be implemented. However, the district has now decided to take more time, meaning no changes based on the proposal will take place until after the 2025-26 school year.

The final plan lies in the future, but we can provide information about the current proposal, the rationale behind it, and where to find more information as it becomes available.

The proposal as of November 2024

The proposal calls for reducing the number of district schools from 54 (including special education centers) to 42. Highlights include:

  • Changing the grade configurations from the current K-5, K-8, 6-8, 6-12, and 9-12 to K-5, 6-8, and 9-12

  • Closing 14 schools, moving special schools such as the Online Academy and the Student Achievement Center, and using some buildings as centers for teacher professional learning

  • Reconfiguring 12 schools, including consolidating small student populations into one building

  • Opening three “new” schools: a PreK-5 with an ESL program in the former Northview Heights school building; a 6-8 in the Pittsburgh Manchester PreK-8 building, also with an ESL program; and the 6-8 component of Pittsburgh Sci-Tech 6-12 in the Pittsburgh Milliones 6-12 building, replacing its current programming

  • Ending all but one elementary magnet program and focusing on “consistent foundational programming” in all K-5s

  • Returning to the “middle school model” of developmentally appropriate programming and services for those age groups

  • Replacing partial magnets with “neighborhood magnets” that would guarantee entrance for students in the feeder pattern

  • Closing the Pittsburgh Gifted Center and providing gifted supports at home schools

  • Conducting ongoing repairs and maintenance for buildings that remain open, including installing air conditioning in schools that don’t have it

The report ‘A Reimagined School Portfolio in Pittsburgh Public Schools’ by consultants ERS, published on October 15, 2024, gives more context and a summary of the proposed plan. Detailed information about proposed school changes by region begins on page 32.

Goals for the proposal include:

  • Providing academic opportunities that have not been available in some small schools, such as middle school algebra, world languages, arts, and STEM programming

  • Addressing some transportation issues through changes in school locations

  • Increasing spaces in popular high school programs, such as IB and Science and Technology

  • Strengthening programs for the growing ESL population and relocating programs to where they’re most needed

  • Improving access to Pre-K programs

  • Freeing up capital improvement funds by closing some buildings in need of repairs

Visit this page for updated information.

A+ Schools staff are closely monitoring what’s happening with the plan. You can contact us with questions at 412-256- 8536 or info@aplusschools.org.

Magnet program registration

PPS Magnet Fair: Saturday, December 7, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, at Pittsburgh Obama 6-12, 515 N. Highland Ave. in East Liberty. Information about CTE programs and Early Childhood programs will also be available. (CTE enrollment for the 2025-26 school year closed on November 1.)

Magnet registration opens Monday, December 9 and closes Friday, January 17, 2025, including for Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 (CAPA acceptance is by audition or portfolio). Magnet programs will not change for the 2025-26 school year. However, be aware that even if your child is accepted into a magnet program for 2025-26, the district doesn’t guarantee that program will continue to exist beyond that year.

Visit this page for more information.