Boston officials are planning to recommend closing multiple schools in the coming years, according to multiple reports.
Boston.com reports that a total of four schools within the Boston Public Schools system are slated for closure, the Boston Teachers Union said. Excel High and Dever Elementary are two campuses that could close.
The district's long-term facilities plan, finalized in late 2023, envisions a future with fewer schools. Instead, officials would focus on supporting large schools with more diverse offerings.
District Superintendent Mary Skipper is going to recommend Excel High close at the end of the 2025-26 school year. The “next steps” will be officially recommended to the School Committee on Jan. 22.
The Excel High closure is part of a package of proposals that include “a number” of school closures, a merger, and “grade reconfigurations” that would go into effect for the beginning of the 2026-27 school year if approved.
In its response, the Boston Teachers Union called on district officials to ensure any school closures are paired with a “more aggressive and detailed commitment to the construction and renovation” of new and improved buildings. Specifically, the union said the district should commit to completing the construction of three buildings annually and share a plan to do so with the public in the coming weeks.
Thirty-five Boston schools have closed since 2002, 16 over the last decade, the union says. The district now has 119 schools, many of which are aging and in need of significant upgrades, according to the district.
