BOSTON (WHDH) - On Tuesday Boston Public Schools announced a series of proposals that would close three schools, merge two schools, and reconfigure a number of others to serve different ages and groups.
The proposals will be presented to the Boston School Committee on January 22, according to Superintendent Mary Skipper.
“At that time we’ll be doing something that’s been asked for for a long time. We’ve put in a great deal of effort to really provide a roadmap for long-term projections for 2030, so five-year projections,” Skipper said.
Under the new proposals, Dever Elementary School, Excel High School, and Mary Lyon Pilot High School would be closed, the Winthrop and Clap elementary schools would be merged and relocated to the Lilla G. Frederick Elementary School building.
Community Academy would also be closed as a “degree-granting school” and redesigned as a “program to support students who are in need of a temporary code-of-conduct placement and for students who are transitioning from the Department of Youth Services into Boston Public Schools”.
Additionally, the Mary Lyon K-8 School, BTU Pilot School, and Young Achievers Science and Math Pilot School would be reconfigured as PreK-6 schools; Dearborn STEM Academy would be reconfigured as a 7-12 school.
“These decisions, while difficult, are data-driven and reflect the next step in our best path forward to ensure a High-Quality Student Experience for every student and family across Boston,” the district said in a statement. “We know these transitions may cause anxiety and confusion for students, families, and staff. We remain committed to transparency and will provide ongoing support for all impacted school community members throughout these transitions.”
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said it has been a years-long process to get to this point.
“Everyone benefits when the next generation has full access to learning and growth,” Wu said.
Union leaders say they want the district to focus on new construction, saying, “It is imperative that the district commit to completing the construction of at least three buildings annually and should detail such a plan to the public in the coming weeks, not years.”
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