Bethel Park holds public hearings on proposed closure of five elementary schools and administration building

Bethel Park School District Board President Jim Modrack called to order a series of public hearings in October 2025 on the proposed closing of Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Bethel Memorial, George Washington and William Penn elementary schools and the District Administration Building.

District staff presented the financial and programmatic rationale for the proposed closures, citing a years-long enrollment decline, aging building systems and wide disparities in classroom sizes and services across the district. No vote was taken; the board noted state law requires at least three months between the hearing and any formal action under section 780 of the Public School Code of 1949.

The hearings followed a district-commissioned facilities study by Hayes Design Group and subsequent board and stakeholder review. Dr. Walsh summarized the district’s findings: enrollment was down roughly 795 students since 2011, several school buildings lack full accessibility and contemporary security features, and renovation costs for the older elementary buildings…