Declining Enrollment Developments in Pittsburgh Public Colleges

Scholar enrollment at Pittsburgh Public Colleges this fall declined 2% over final fall, and 23 of the district’s faculties enroll lower than 250 college students, in accordance with information launched this week by the varsity district.

PPS enrolled 17,937 college students from Kindergarten to twelfth grade this fall; a decline of 375 college students from final yr’s enrollment of 18,312.

It’s a part of a ten-year development: PPS enrollment has decreased by 22.8% for the reason that 2015-16 college yr, whereas the full variety of school-aged youngsters dwelling throughout the PPS boundary declined by 12.6% over the identical interval, in accordance with the district.

In that very same timeframe, constitution college enrollment elevated 46.6% however personal college enrollment decreased by 11.5%, in accordance with PPS.

“Whereas our total enrollment continues to say no, we’re inspired by early indicators of stabilization amongst our youngest learners. These are indicators that our work to rebuild belief with households is taking maintain,” mentioned Superintendent Wayne N. Walters.

Walters famous 23 of the district’s faculties enroll lower than 250 college students, and one other 5 enrolling lower than 300.

“These small enrollments weaken the district’s means to supply complete programming, create staffing inefficiencies, and deepen inequities between faculties with considerable alternatives and people with restricted course choices,” the district mentioned in a press release.

In November, the varsity board turned down a plan that may have closed the Scholar Achievement Heart (Baxter College); Friendship; Schiller; Manchester; Fulton; McKelvy (Miller PreK-5); Woolslair; Spring Hill and Morrow.

Critics of the plan argued there was not sufficient readability or public enter for the choices, and that closures have been pointless. Proponents of the plan claimed it will enhance fairness and scholar outcomes throughout the district. The administration mentioned it proposed the plan due to declining enrollment, getting older infrastructure and underutilized buildings.

District officers say as a result of that plan was rejected, they now mission a $6 million funds deficit and suggest a 4% tax hike.

Three new members have since joined the varsity board.

It’s unclear if or when the district will revisit the “Future-Prepared” plan.

PPS information discovered that almost all year-to-year enrollment modifications occur as a result of households transfer out of the district slightly than switch. On common, about 89% of PPS college students stay enrolled from June to October every year, whereas about 1% switch to personal faculties, 2.8% to constitution faculties and seven.2% transfer out of the district, in accordance with PPS.

After fifth grade, 216 college students go away PPS and 130 college students be part of; after eighth grade, a mean of 302 college students go away and 245 be part of, in accordance with PPS.

The report recommends PPS strengthen household outreach and engagement to enhance retention; conduct focused recruitment in neighborhoods with low PPS enrollment charges; survey households who go away after fifth and eighth grades to know their determination; and consider constructing configuration and utilization.

College officers are inspired over steady early childhood and kindergarten numbers.

Early childhood program enrollment elevated 1.27%, to 1,278 college students from 1,258 final yr, in accordance with PPS.

Enrollment numbers from kindergarten to fifth grade noticed the smallest year-over-year change, declining 35 college students from final yr to this yr.

PPS enrolls 67% of kindergarten-aged youngsters dwelling within the district. From 2021–2025, kindergarten enrollment averaged 1,547 college students, in accordance with PPS. That quantity was 1,418 throughout the covid-19 pandemic interval, and 1,912 earlier than the pandemic.

Slightly below 11% of PPS college students this yr are English Language Learners, a 3% enhance from the 2015-16 college yr, in accordance with PPS.