Pittsburgh Public Schools board votes to approve plan to close 12 schools, 9 buildings

The new Pittsburgh Public Schools board voted to approve a plan to close 12 schools and nine buildings. 

In a vote on Wednesday, the nine-person board voted 6-2-1 to approve the district's "Future-Ready Facilities Plan," which is set for the 2027-28 academic year. 

The controversial plan was criticized by parents and students in the district, including 412 Justice, a Pittsburgh-based advocacy group that said the plan disproportionally impacted Black neighborhood schools. They've called for further study. 

After nearly two years of study, the board voted down the plan in November 2025, delaying its implementation. School board president Gene Walker previously said time has run out. Enrollment has dropped from 32,000 to 18,000 students over the past two decades, and the board can't justify spending a significant chunk of its $731 million budget on half-empty schools.  

The district said the plan is "designed to transform learning environments, improve operational efficiency, and expand equitable access."

"This plan is about far more than buildings," Walters said in a news release on Wednesday night. "It is about creating equitable opportunities, strengthening academic experiences, and ensuring every student has access to learning environments that support success in college, career, and life."  

Walters says the plan will save the district about $8 million a year on staff salaries, utilities and maintenance costs.

School closures

The schools set to close are Allegheny 6-8, Arsenal PreK-5, Fulton PreK-5, King PreK-8, Linden PreK-5, Manchester PreK-8, Miller PreK-5, Milliones 6-12, South Brook 6-8, South Hills 6-8, Spring Hill K-5 and Woolslair PreK-5.