Organization raises concern about declining enrollment at Pittsburgh Public Schools

Enrollment numbers at Pittsburgh Public Schools continue to slide, according to data from the Department of Education, which was highlighted in a new policy brief by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy.

The brief said from school years 2019-2020 until 2023-2024, PPS lost nearly 13%, or nearly 3,000 students.

Frank Gamrat, the executive director of Allegheny Institute, said taxpayers deserve better, and something has to be done. 

"Enrollment is down so much that they have to do something. The school board is right in that they have to fix this. You've got empty buildings, or mostly empty buildings," Gamrat said.

PPS is still considering closing several schools and reconfiguring others.

The brief shows that the drop in enrollment started a long time ago.

"You've lost almost 40% in 20 years, and you've lost 23% in 10 years," Gamrat said.

He said it's a countywide problem.

"Over the last 10 years, you take a look at all 43 Allegheny County school districts. And they're down about 5% on enrollment. Some districts up, some districts down," he said.

But why the drop? Gamrat said there are many factors, like population loss and lack of jobs.

"You're not seeing an influx of people. At the county level, you know, you look at the migration statistics, you have more people moving out than moving in," Gamrat said. "When you have that lack of jobs and lack of economic opportunity, you're not going to bring people in. People move for jobs first. And they move basically family second."

Gamrat also said another factor is that PPS schools continuously rank low on statewide achievement tests.

"Getting people to come into the city of Pittsburgh to go to the school district, you're gonna have to work on your academics," he said. "You've got to start by getting these kids in school, getting them engaged, and help bring the academics up so that people looking to move into the city aren't afraid of the school district."

"Now, to Pittsburgh's benefit, their magnet schools are doing quite well. The science and technology school is doing well, Kappa seems to do well. And so, you know, if there was any advice for the Pittsburgh Public Schools, see the success at your magnet schools, and try to duplicate it everywhere else," he added.

Read Pittsburgh Public Schools' full statement below:

Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) recognizes that declining enrollment is a challenge not only for our District but for many urban school systems nationwide. Population loss in the City of Pittsburgh over the last two decades is well documented, and enrollment trends in our schools reflect these broader demographic and economic shifts.

Since the appointment of Superintendent Dr. Wayne N. Walters, K -12 enrollment has stabilized. For the 2024-2025 school year, PPS reported 18,312 students, just 68 fewer than the prior year, a decrease of 0.37% compared to the previous year's 18,380 students. This is a significant improvement compared to the 1.47% decline in 2023-24 and the 2.60% decline in 2022-23. Before Dr. Walters' tenure, the District experienced average yearly enrollment losses of 2.4% for more than a decade.

Promising enrollment trends in 2024-2025 include:

• Elementary Grades (K–5): Enrollment increased for the second consecutive year, adding 30 students (0.35%), demonstrating growing confidence among families with young children.
• Middle Grades (6–8): For the first time since 2012–13, middle school enrollment grew, with a gain of 22 students (0.55%).

While enrollment shifts are real, we remain focused on strengthening the educational experience for every student we serve today. Through the Future-Ready Facilities Plan, we aim to resize our footprint to create efficiencies and ensure resources are directed into modern, supportive, high-quality learning environments.

We also know families have choices. That is why our ultimate priority is to improve student outcomes and experiences that encourage more families to choose and remain with PPS. To share more with families about these efforts, we have launched the "Get the Facts" campaign, designed to provide information about the programs, supports, and opportunities available in our schools.