Watch: Art and journalism collide in Carnegie Museum’s ‘after school’ exhibit

For over a year, Pittsburgh Public Schools has juggled proposals, delays and updates to a Future-Ready Facilities Plan that would close 12 schools and nine buildings across the city. As the district approaches a final vote, a current exhibition at the Carnegie Museum of Art reveals a long history of school closures and displacement in Pittsburgh. 

On display in the Heinz Architectural Center, “after school” blends contemporary artistic practices with case studies from Pittsburgh schools. The exhibit is approached through Pittsburgh’s archives, outlined by architectural renderings, photographs and headlines alongside immersive spaces. The closures of Schenley High, Northview Heights Elementary, Burgwin Elementary and Peabody High pepper the history of a city grappling with segregation, urban renewal, depopulation and growing privatization.

The curatorial team, consisting of Theodossis Issaias, Alyssa Velazquez and curatorial fellow McKenzie Stupica, consulted with Public Source K-12 Education Reporter Lajja Mistry about her extensive reporting on proposed PPS closures and invited her to submit an article that will be published in a companion book for the exhibition on Nov. 13.

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Dig Deeper into Lajja’s reporting on PPS School Closures

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Fatuma Muhina saw high school disrupted by Schenley High’s closure. Now she weighs the district’s impending reconfiguration and its ramifications for her children and those of other refugee families.

Public comment opens on PPS closures after narrow board vote and continued pushback

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Superintendent Walters presented an updated feasibility report, responding to community backlash over closures and transparency concerns.

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Four Pittsburgh Public Schools board seats are contested this year, and school consolidation may be decided by the time new members take office. But they would oversee closures.

Facing pressure, PPS board delays vote on closing 10 schools

Parents and some board members pushed for more transparency, information and community input before moving forward with the district’s facilities overhaul.

Superintendent’s report endorses closures and consolidations for PPS schools

Controversial plans to close 14 Pittsburgh Public schools amid a districtwide overhaul were put on hold last fall while leadership assessed the feasibility. The resulting report largely stands by the proposals of the consultant hired to help the district realign its resources.

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Around 120 parents and community members provided input for the alternative proposal for Pittsburgh Public Schools, which would shutter 10 schools versus 14 in a plan proposed by the district’s consultants.

Final recommendations still set PPS on course for multiple closures, consolidations

Community backlash was widespread after PPS consultants floated a spate of closures and consolidations in August. Their final recommendations include tweaks but no substantial reduction to the proposed downsizing.

Past PPS closures still haunt district parents. Families worry they’ll go through it again.  

As the district considers new closures, communities hit hard by past consolidations brace for more changes.

Proposed Manchester closure roils some families amid PPS shakeup

ERS consultants proposed closing Manchester K-8 and housing a CAPA middle school in the building. What does that mean for the Manchester community?

You asked, we got answers: A Q&A with the people shaping PPS’ school closure plan

Education Resource Strategies consultants answer your questions about the various changes to the district’s footprint they proposed earlier this month.

Closures, grade reconfigurations and magnet phase-outs floated in PPS facilities plan 

A proposed plan for streamlining the district’s assets lays out big changes for the Pittsburgh Public system.

PPS records show 90% of buildings need costly renovations as district weighs school closures

The district is using the Facilities Condition Index to assess the quality of its buildings and to determine potential school closures.

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