Pittsburgh Public Schools officials sit for a Dec. 4, 2023 public hearing about the district’s budget, at PPS headquarters in Oakland. On Wednesday night the board heard updates from a consultant about a strategic plan to boost the district that may include building closures. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/PublicSource)
A consultant’s report aimed at addressing longstanding issues within Pittsburgh Public Schools sets stage for debate on the district’s half-empty buildings.
and
Pittsburgh Public Schools may need to close schools to improve student outcomes and save costs, a developing strategic plan suggests.
Martha Greenway, an education strategy consultant who is steering the plan, last night told PPS board members under-enrolled schools are driving inequities and tying up resources that could otherwise boost education and other programming.
“None of the how [of school closings] has been predetermined, but the current configuration of schools is not allowing you to offer the programs and services in an equitable fashion,” said Greenway. “And that’s the problem to be solved.”
Greenway stressed the district would not approve any closures without public input, and the plan, as it stands, does not propose any specific recommendations.
Greenway said student input gathered during the process shows many are aware of the uneven experiences offered at the district’s schools.
“They see the inequitable access to academic and non-academic programs, and the unequal financial investment in magnet schools, as things that get in the way of their success,” Greenway said.
The strategic plan, commissioned in April at a cost of $110,000, will continue to evolve in the coming months. The plan is intended to solve a range of longstanding issues at PPS, where Greenway noted test scores skew low, racial disparities are rampant, and many students report feeling unsafe in and around their school communities.
The next stage involves soliciting broader public input before locking in details on implementation – such as which, if any, schools should shutter – resulting in a plan that’s ready to mobilize in 2024.
The plan has so far sought input from a range of stakeholders – including student and parent focus groups – but Greenway said it won’t move forward without broader community buy-in.
“We will need to hear the voices of the entire community on our draft framework to get it right,” she said.
About Post Author
