Boston Public Schools unveiled Cycle 3 recommendations of its Long-Term Facilities Plan on Nov. 19, proposing the closure of three schools and several grade reconfigurations aimed at aligning the district's portfolio with falling enrollment and aging facilities.

Superintendent Mary Skitma and Chief Stanislaus said the plan is driven by a multi-year decline in students and by building limitations that make it difficult to sustain comprehensive academic and extracurricular programs. "The long term facilities plan's recommendations are not about seats'; they are about our students and our families and our staff," Skitma said as she previewed the district's goal to operate roughly 95 schools by 2030 and to concentrate resources where buildings can support a full range of services.

Why it matters: The proposals affect both small, community-centered schools and larger, specialized high schools that serve high-need students. District staff said the goal is to expand access to what it calls a high-quality student experience, and they stressed that no vote will be taken until Dec. 17. Chief Stanislaus said the district will limit new enrollments at impacted schools for next year, provide a year of planning and offer priority placement to impacted students in the assignment process.

What was proposed: The district recommended that Lee Academy Pilot School (PreK'3) be closed because the building partially lacks required spaces and is not ADA-compliant; that Another Course to College (ACC) and Community Academy of Science & Health (CASH) stop enrolling the next incoming high school class because existing facilities—originally designed for elementary uses—do not provide essential high-school spaces; and that Henderson's upper and lower campuses be merged and reconfigured as a PK'8 school, eliminating the high-school grades and the transition program. The plan also includes reconfiguring the Tobin to K'6 and adding a sixth grade at Russell Elementary.

Public reaction and concerns: Dozens of speakers during two public-comment sessions urged the committee to pause or reconsider. Teachers, students and parents from the affected schools described deep attachment to small-school communities and warned of the emotional and logistical costs of disruption. "This school may be small, but the love, the connection, and the community inside of it is what makes us huge," said Nyla Hicks, a senior at CASH, who said the prospect of her school closing in 2027 is heartbreaking. Marcus Brown, a PE teacher and athletic coordinator, urged the committee to reject or pause the recommendation for ACC and to pursue relocation or additional supports instead of closure. Community advocates and union leaders called for clearer equity analyses and more time for engagement.

District response and transition planning: Officials described a detailed transition approach. The district will provide individualized counseling for students with IEPs, convene special-education liaisons and create school-based transition coordinators and senior project managers to coordinate staff and family supports. HR will offer resume, interview and licensure assistance to displaced staff. Chief Stanislaus said the team will also work to move specialized programs as cohorts where possible and to stand up new programs in receiving schools ahead of a transfer.

Outstanding questions: Community members pressed the district for assurances about whether cohorts and staff can stay together, how specialized programs for multilingual learners and students with disabilities will be preserved, and whether the timeline allows enough time to stand up replacement programming. Several speakers urged the committee to delay the Dec. 17 vote to allow more meaningful collaboration with affected communities.

Next steps: The district said it will hold school-specific community meetings, summarize survey feedback publicly, and provide updated materials on transitions and welcoming-school options before the Dec. 17 vote. Chief Stanislaus emphasized that the recommendations are grounded in data but acknowledged the human cost of closure and reconfiguration.

The committee is scheduled to vote on the package on Dec. 17; the district will continue community outreach and post updates online.