Public Hearing - February 23, 2026

001Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors public hearing. Today is February 23rd, 2026. Before we get started, I just want to remind everybody about the procedure for tonight. Miss Erica Gandandy will moderate tonight's public hearing. Each speaker will be given three minutes to speak. There is only one speaker for registered number. You may not share your time with anyone else or give your registered number to someone else. Speakers will be called one at a time and as your time begins to wind down, uh if you are in person, the microphone will begin to blink with 30 seconds left. Uh once we move to virtual participants, Miss Gandandy will use the raise hand function to signal that there are 30 seconds left. Uh all of our speakers um

002have been given their numbers and listed in order uh depending on the topic that they're talking about and when they registered. As always, we start with our in-person uh speakers first, followed by our virtual speakers. Uh let's see. Any registered participant who misses their assigned turn to speak will be recalled at the end uh and given an opportunity to speak if they so choose. Those who cannot attend in person were able to submit their written testimony along uh with the registered speakers to be included with the public record that will be posted on the district website along with the video of this public hearing uh at some point tomorrow. Our stakeholders can view the public hearing by clicking on the link at the top of the district homepage. Uh and with that we will proceed.

003I will turn the meeting over to Miss Gandandy. >> Thank you Mr. Walker. And our first speaker this evening is Darlene Yanuk. Good evening president and members of the board. Thank you for your time tonight. I recognize how difficult these decisions are. Declining enrollment is real. Financial pressures are real. And the possibility of closing schools is not easy. But in moments like this, equity and transparency matter more than ever. Right now, PPS enrolls fewer than 18,000 students. Thousands of Pittsburgh families are choosing other options: charters, private schools, or leaving the city altogether. The question isn't how we manage decline. It's how we earn families back. If we want to stabilize enrollment and strengthen Pittsburgh, we must respond strategically and visibly. First, the community needs more data. We need clear metrics explaining how closure decisions are

004being made. We need transparent standards around performance, utilization, academic outcomes, and long-term projections. Equity is not simply distributing cuts. Equity requires consistent criteria and public accountability so families understand the why behind these reasons. Without that transparency, this plan does not feel equitable. Second, we must look honestly at what is working. Pittsburgh Monasuri consistently ranks among the highest performing K through5 schools in the district with academic outcomes that exceed both district and state averages. Families choose it, students succeed in it, and demand exceeds available seats. At the same time, Monasuri is also the whitest school in the district. As parents, we want both excellence and diversity. Excellence and diversity. These are not competing values. The equitable path forward is not to limit access to successful models. It's to replicate them in more neighborhoods so more families

005from more backgrounds can benefit. If we're closing buildings, we should also be expanding opportunity. Transparency builds trust. Replication of success builds enrollment. And equity requires both. Managing decline is not a strategy. Scaling success is. Thank you for your testimony. And our next speaker is Natalie Antinucci. Hi, my name is Natalie Antinucci and I am a parent of current preK3 and kindergarten students at Pittsburgh Montasauri. I am also the secretary of the Pittsburgh Montasauri PTA and I would consider myself a highly involved parent at the school. I am speaking here today because I found the remarks about shutting down the Montasauri program at last week's school board meeting to be incredibly disheartening, concerning, and honestly shocking. I have been following the developments of the facilities utilization plan somewhat closely over the past couple of years, and

006until last week, I had never heard a real mention of completely shutting down Montasauri. As it stands, I am still unsure whether this was just a simple comment or this is a deeper conversation that the board has been having and we should be seriously concerned about the continuation of the program. As a Montasauri community, we would like to know the answer to that. Montasauri is a huge asset to our district and losing it would be devastating. Sure, at face value, I could see why closing Monttoauri would seem like the fair thing to do when all of the other K through5 magnet schools are slated to close. That would make things equal. However, equality is not one of the guiding principles of the future ready plan, but equity is. Taking away a thriving, high demand, high-erforming

007school for the sake of being equal is not equity. In fact, you would be robbing every single child in the district of the opportunity to attend such an exemplary school. How about instead remove the barriers so that any child that wants to attend Montasauri would be able to do so? That is the space where equality meets excellence. Two of the foundational pillars of the future ready plan. Take what is working and build upon it. Don't take it away. To close, I would like to make an offering. Come visit our school. If you have not been there to see the great work that our teachers, staff, and students do, please call the the school and set up a tour. They would be happy to show you everything so that you can have a better understanding of

008our school and see for yourself what makes Montasauri unique and so successful. While I think the expansion of the program throughout the district is the path forward, at the very least, learning a bit about what is working at Monttoauri and applying those principles to other schools across the district could improve learning outcomes citywide. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. And our next speaker is Alex Antonucci. Good evening, President, members of the board. I want to begin by first recognizing the extraordinary amount of time analysis and all the opportunities for community engagement that's gone into the facility utilization plan. Districtwide planning at this scale is complex and I know that uh all the time and effort has gone underappreciated. It's clear to me that significant effort and resources have gone into this work. And

009I first just want to acknowledge that in last week's board meeting, the idea to close Pittsburgh Montasauri along other K5 schools in the district was floated. I'm here tonight to urge you to maintain a plan that allows a district's public Montasauri program to remain open. Since equity is our shared goal, the public Montasauri program represents an opportunity, not a problem. First, it has the highest weight list in the district. Families across Pittsburgh are actively seeking this model. This high demand, I think, reflects trust and perceived value. And when families are competing for access to a public program, that tells us something important. That tells us something important about what they believe works for their kids. Secondly, in 2025, the school's PSSA scores in grades three through five ex exceeded all district averages. At a time

010when we're focused on specifically closing any kind of achievement gaps and improving outcomes for all students, Montasauri is not a marginal program, excuse me, it's a high performing one. Third, and most importantly, I want to say that equity is best achieved by expanding access to highquality programs, not eliminating them. If the school is a is popular, if it's academically strong, and it's deeply valued by its families, the district's equity strategy should be to study it, learn from it, and replicate elements of its success in additional communities. Closing Montasauri would actually narrow this opportunity. I would argue first of all that my personal affinity for Monttoauri is irrelevant in this conversation. What matters is whether it aligns with with with matters is whether my personal uh affinity aligns with a vision that has the potential to

011serve serve students across the district not just mine. This is not about preserving some niche program here. This is about recognizing an evidenced aligned in demand model and asking how it can serve more kids. So I urge you to keep the public Montasauri program intact and to treat it as a foundation for expansion rather than elimination. Thank you again for your leadership and your continued commitment to our students and families. >> Thank you. And our next speaker, Mary Ellen Hamill. again, Mary Ellen Hamill. We'll move to the next speaker, Hie Pritz. Hi, I'm Uh Hi Pritz. I'm a Brookline resident south of the river. Uh I'm also a magnet parent and I am asking the board to vote no on the future ready plan. Uh it hasn't been changed or improved since it was voted

012down in November. Voting yes now without meaningful change I think will destroy trust with the public and families who've been speaking out against this plan since 2024. Uh we've been down this road before. In 2012, PPS closed seven schools and we've never seen the data for how this affected the district. Did equity get better or worse? Did the budget get better or worse? If it helped, show us how it helped. If it harmed, uh please show us how this plan is different. Um but to move forward now uh with closures without talking about how this all shook out for us in 2012 I think is unconscionable. Uh to be clear I don't think the plan to close any schools should move forward as is. But to speak personally um as a parent of a Monasuri

013student putting Monasuri back on the chopping block so late in this game just man it's rough. Um if if I can just speak for myself and my child, Monasuri is a wonderful program that cannot be replicated by my neighborhood school and my child and many others thrive there. The community knows this and that's why there are waiting lists a mile long. Um, a study published in a 2025 academic journal found that monatory education elevates and equalizes and helps to close the achievement gap for lowincome and minority students more effectively than traditional models. And a 2020 uh another 2025 study found that students in public monastery schools outperformed peers in traditional public schools in reading and executive function. And I think that Pittsburgh kids need more of this, not less. Um, a lot so many of

014us see the value of this program. And I just I want the board to see it, too. And I'm I'm hoping that um I'm hoping you'll vote no uh for this whole uh this whole thing. And I'm also hoping you'll keep Monasuri open. Thank you so much. >> Thank you for your testimony. And our next speaker, Martha Ricks. Hi. Once again, I'm here on a Monday night. I might be new to the new board members, but not the returning ones. Asking that Pittsburgh public schools create an authentic, accurate, and feasible fe future ready plan with genuine community input. So are others. We aren't here because we object to change. I truly understand the need to reconfigure our district footprint, and so do others. But I do not understand, condone, or supports the board's obsession with

015the future ready plan from ERS. Not to sound too much like my grandfather, but why do we keep beating this dead horse? As has been repeatedly discussed, the future ready plan lacks detail that should have been included in a plan of this scale before it begins to move forward, including but not limited to detailed demographics, analysis, and projections, evidence-based research for recommendations, geographic information, including transportation patterns, robust, genuine community input, accurate FA facility reports, and cost estimates on upgrades to remaining buildings, and functional building reconfiguration plans, transition plans, and more. ERS and the board keep referencing declining enrollment, but no professional has actually looked at population trends. We asked the board to hire a demographer, and you finally agreed and then declared it was impossible. It's also important to point out that the future ready

016plan will dismantle our K through5 elementary magnet programs for no clear reason other than for the sake of consistency. It ignores the fact that these magnet programs are thriving, offering focused arts, language, and STEM programs and the only public monori program in the entire state all based in researchdriven groundproven pedigogy. Without our magnets, there's been it has been acknowledged that our schools will become more segregated by race and class. That was acknowledged in this room. There is no clear plan to ensure that every replacement elementary will even be able to offer robust arts, STEMs, or language programs. How is any of this chaos and incomplete work putting us on a path to an equitable future for Pittsburgh public schools? You, the board, have the power to make choices. Vote no on the future readies plan.

017Stop beating the dead horse and take action on changes and plans to move forward that will actually address inequalities within PPS. >> Thank you for your testimony. Our next speaker, Shirley and Hill. I have followed the public hearings regarding the unfair treatment of former monastery teacher Miss Stephanie Leing by principal Kelly Meyer. Throughout my 41-year career with PPS, I too was subjected to toxic principles like her. [snorts] In December 2023, Miss Stephanie Lein was removed from her classroom by Cali Meyer. She was cleared in February 2024, but was conveniently transferred to another school that does not have a monastery program. Because you chose to completely ignore Kelly Meyer's toxic behavior, Miss Stephanie will be starting her own monastery school. Why is Kelly Meyer not being held accountable for her unfair treatment of Miss Stephanie Leine,

018the only lead black teacher? Some monatory teachers have filed grievances and still nothing has been done. Toxic principles like Cali Meyer put fear in teachers who speak up by sabotaging their teacher evaluations. Pretending there are no problems at Monasuri definitely creates an un unsettling work environment. Teachers should not have to adapt to this leadership style to keep their jobs. Some principles are good for conveniently cutting positions when you speak up. I question how students are first when toxic principles are not held accountable. Dr. Sacko, have you talked to Cali Meyer regarding her toxic leadership that has been going on for years? Carrick High School has a very small percentage of black teachers. Um, here is a Black History Month moment. I quote, "Paul Lawrence Peeler, Senior, became the first African-American teacher hired by the Pittsburgh

019public school system. He taught music at the elementary and junior high school levels from 1936 until his retirement in 1970. As the district's first full-time African-American educator, Peeler was a pioneer in black education. His perseverance in overcoming racist discriminatory practices during the preWorld War II era helped to usher in a new generation of African-American educators including John Brewer who was my principal at Miller Helen Faison Doris Pvar and other educators who would diversify and integrate Pittsburgh public schools. End quote. This was um Samuel Black 2017 at the Hines History Center. Black Students at Carrick Matter. I'm done. >> Thank you for your testimony. Our next speaker is Aaliyah Taylor. Good evening everyone. I hope you're doing well this evening. My name is Aaliyah Taylor and I'm a senior at Pixburgise. First, I just wanted to

020say thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight. I transferred to Odice in 10th grade and from the start I knew I was stepping into a school that takes academics seriously. The classes here are challenging in a good way. They push you to think deeper, work harder, and really prepare for what comes next. The programs offered at Odice are top tier and I truly believe they have set me up for success after graduation. As a senior getting ready for college, I feel confident. I'm not just hoping I'm prepared. I know I am. Our counselors also played a big role in that. They've helped me understand the college process from applications to scholarships, and they've made sure I know what steps to take. That guidance matters, especially when you're trying to be the best

021version of yourself and plan for your future. One of my favorite classes right now is forensics. It's helped me build critical thinking skills and learn how to analyze evidence and arguments. I plan to study law in college and eventually go to law school because my goal is to become a criminal defense attorney. I've always had a passion for advocating for myself and for others. Speaking up when something isn't right isn't just something I do, it's a part of who I am. and the Superintendent Student Advisory Council has given me opportunities to grow that voice. That's why I say I'm PPS proud. I'm proud of the education I've received. I'm proud of the teachers who challenge me and I'm proud of the programs that have helped me shape my future. However, being proud doesn't mean ignoring

022areas that need improvement. One issue that I believe needs more attention at Odice is the racial tension. It's something that can be heard in conversations and felt in the atmosphere. Sometimes it shows up in small comments, sometimes just shows up in bigger ways, but either way, it's there. Sorry. [gasps] Um, I've exper I personally witnessed and experienced moments where I felt a lack of respect for me and my experiences as a black student and that can be discouraging. I've been involved in AACAs and that space has been valuable. It's allowed students like me to be heard and to support one another. But I also believe that more can be done. I would encourage Dr. Walters and the board members to seriously consider implementing stronger diversity training at Odice, not just as a one-time workshop, but

023as an ongoing commitment, because waiting until something unfortunate happens is not the solution. I love my school. I believe in its potential and I believe that by addressing these issues openly and honestly, we can make older dice not just academically excellent but emotionally and culturally supportive for all students. Thank you again for listening and caring about our voices. When you take the time to hear us, you show that you care about our experiences and our perspectives. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. And next is Christian Miller. Uh, good evening uh, executive cabinet and board members. My name is Christian Miller. I'm an 11th grader at Westinghouse High School. I'm part of the PPS Winsburg collaboration. I've been at Westinghouse since 7th grade. Unfortunately, I have experienced three principles and I sorry since I've

024been there. I hope Dr. uh, Hill, my principal, will remain there for the rest of my senior year and beyond. I believe students at Westinghouse deserve stability. Not only am I an active member of the superintendent's student advisory council, but I am also a member of the national honor society. I believe Westinghouse should have more activities. I think this is a natural way to keep students engaged and involved. Often times students who are not in terms of teams, clubs or other activities such as that uh feel no need to go to class. They feel as if they're not part of the community and they only need to be. I feel like community is important because nobody wants to be left out. Everyone wants to be involved and if we have a community in our school

025like such as clubs, it will allow our students to rub off on each other positively. I understand that in the past Westinghouse had a beautiful band, strong band, and it's not as strong as it used to be. I want to bring that back likely. I would love to bring that back using uh activities areas like CTE. So our band students don't have to miss out on their academic courses and don't feel the need to skip their classes to practice. And some of us band students don't have the they can't stay after school. They don't have the privilege or to uh stay after school and also the choir as well. I would love to bring that back as well. Uh one thing I'd like to take a moment to speak about as well is the school

026lunches are served to students at Westinghouse. A lot of the students were fileing this food from the school. The district may look at the nutrition values and I understand they have to, but their food is flavorless, unappetizing, and quite frankly disgusting. I also once been into an apple that was all black to the core. We have to take a gamble on the fresh food being fresh. I have also had a student that I know drunk their milk and it was moldy and sludgy. And this just is unacceptable as PPS. And I feel like we need to just do something about this. I would also uh recommend having a sit down with one of the board of directors, particularly Tora Cook Peril, to come down and sit and have lunch with us so we could talk

027about this. Uh that is all. >> Thank you for your testimony. And next we will have Javier Harro. Good evening. My name is J Harriet and I'm a junior student attending Westinghouse Academy and a proud member of the superintendent student advisory council. I have been a student within the Pittsburgh public schools district since 7th grade at Westinghouse. And throughout my time here, I have witnessed several changes in our school's environment changes that have often led me to question the trajectory of our institution. However, under the leadership of Dr. Virginia Hill, Westinghouse Academy is being molded into the into the legacy institution it is destined to be. With her prior experience serving as an administrator at other schools within the district, Dr. Hill leads with the students wants and needs at the forefront. She strives to

028understand the minds of today's youth rather than expecting us to simply move through each day without purpose or engagement. That said, I believe that no institution can truly better itself without providing consistent enri en enriching in school adourment beyond academics. This calls for the implementation and expansion of clubs and extracurricular activities of all kinds. Whether financial literacy, helping kids grasp the financial aspect of everyday everyday adult life, or even career readiness to help them be aware of the different to-dos and not to-dos when it comes to that part of life. Such opportunities cultivate students interests, encourage leadership, inspire a deeper desire to learn, and expose them to experiences they've never experienced before. They allow students to explore who they are and who they aspire to become after this chapter of their lives and help them

029succeed in their next step of life. By motivating kids to invest in extracurricular curricular development, we are not only strengthening our school closure. This added curriculum would help them build a well decorated resume when when applying for the the workforce or higher level education, but also keeping the future presidents and entrepreneurs and or CEOs out of harm's way. Instead of feeding into the negativity that surrounds our schools, we should instead transform our buildings into institutions where our students of PPS to come learn, explore different opportunities. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. And our next speaker is Laniah Mallalerie. Good evening members of the board. My name is Laniah Mallerie and I appreciate the opportunity to speak today. I have been attending Pittsburgh Autodise since May 2023 and I'm here today because students deeply care

030about our education and the environment we learn at every day. We walk into this building ready to grow, to challenge ourselves, and to prepare for our futures. But learning does not happen in isolation. It happens in spaces where students feel supported, respected, and understood. When students concerns are overlooked, the impact goes beyond grades. It affects mental health. It affects our motivation and affects our sense of belonging. But most importantly, it affects whether we believe our voices truly matter. We show up. We work hard. We meet the expectations that are set for us. In return, we ask for something simple but powerful. Understanding, respect, and a genuine willingness to listen. The decisions made in this room do not stay on paper. They do not remain a policy, documents, or meeting minutes. They follow us into our

031classrooms, our hallways, our schedules, and our daily routines. They shape how we feel, how supported we feel, and how safe successful we can be. When students feel unheard, it creates distance between students and leadership. When students feel valued, it builds trust, and the trust and is the foundation of any success school community. As students, we are the ones living these policies every day. We experience firsthand how decisions impact our learning environments, our workloads, our extracurricular opportunities, and our overall well-being. Their pers perspective is not secondary. It is essential. Student input is not a delay to progress. It is not a challenge to authority. It is a resource. It is insight. It is a lived experience. We are not asking for per perfection. We understand that every decision will not satisfy everyone. What we are asking

032for is consideration, transparency, and clear communication. We are asking to be part of the conversation that directly affects us. When decisions reflect the real experiences of students, not just what looks effective on paper, they are stronger, more practical, and more substainable. Including student voices did not weaken leadership, it strengthens it. When students are invited to share feedback in meaningful ways, engagement increases, responsibility increases, and school pride increases. Students are far more likely to support a decision when they understand how and why they were made, especially when they know their perspectives were a part of the process. I stand here calmly, firmly, and respectfully, asking that student voices be taken serious in decision-m, not as a formality, not as a token gesture, but a genuine partnership. Because when students are heard, schools improve. When students are

033respected, communities grow stronger. And when students are included, outcomes are more effective for everyone. Thank you for your time and thank you for giving students the respect of being heard. Thank you for your testimony. And next is Michael Livingston. again. Michael Livingston. Next is Sebastian Bart again. Sebastian or We'll keep moving. Rita Porterfield. Bonilio Scholastico. Good evening, school board members. It's once again time to hear from your favorite gold chain wearing Italian Lady Stallion who'd rather be home drinking homemade wine by the gallon. I'll say it again that Mancini's bread isn't the same as Wonderbread. And I think we're making a mistake to consider eliminating monastery methods and erase or whitewash Italian culture here in Pittsburgh. satiastanza in biani. So many of us are characters in the immigrant story. Whether by choice, desperation, or force,

034we are here. Italian contributions to education here in Pittsburgh cannot be overestimated and should not be erased. We've been whitewashed enough already. Maria Monasuri developed her methods of giving children options for self-directed learning, connecting concepts across subjects and perspective. She worked with those throwaway kids, the poor, the forgotten, literally building tools and toys for critical thinkers and lifelong learners. We owe that to all of our constituents here in Pittsburgh public. So when I heard two board members mention that Monasuri should be closed out of fairness despite deep support for Monasuri methods and while wearing a magnet school sweatshirt, I thought I was experiencing a glitch in the matrix because the video wasn't matching [clears throat] the audio and it was proposed as a measure of equality. If we are all trees only made equal by

035hatchet, ax and saw, then we are not equal. We are all only afraid. We are all only moved by complacency and conformity, sitting ducks for those lumberjacks who seek only power and to control and cut down others. We are stronger than that. We are more capable than that. I urge you to instead consider making our current monastery a hub for in-house monator educator training to expand this program by having regional monastery schools if we have to reform magnets and to improve outreach across our vast and diverse student population. And I've said that a lot. We owe our kids the best and not just remnants of ruins spared. We should offer learning for students of all learnings always and in all ways. Finally, I'll leave you with one Italian proverb senza. Where there is no temptation

036or difficulty, there is no honor. No guts, no glory. Let's keep Monasuri, invest in the method, and honor the intelligence of our students and families districtwide and inclusively. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. And now we'll have Jude Porterfield. Hello, my name is Jude Porterfield. I am speaking tonight to give you 10 reasons why you shouldn't close Monastery and why you shouldn't take away the Monasuri method. Reason number one, at my new school, I can't learn the Monasuri method. Number two, I won't have the same teacher at my new school. Number three, I will have to make new friends at my new school. Number four, I couldn't walk to my new school. Five, I would do new school projects. Six, kids in the future couldn't learn the monastery method either. Seven, the building would

037become a parking lot. Eight, there would be no playground for the kids that come there after school. Nine, I couldn't play basketball for the Monasuri Eagles. 10. If if my new school wasn't PPS, I couldn't go to my gifted center. And I love going to my gifted center because I can learn. >> Thank you for your testimony. And next we'll have Phil Porterfield. again Field Porterfield. And next we'll have Charlie Britannic. Hi, my name's Charlie Bratanic and I'm a first grader at Pittsburgh Monastery and I go to the gifted center at Greenway. Moving Monosuri is bad enough, but closing it is even worse. My school has a big open field and blacktop where we can play at recess. Sometimes we go outside for gym and library. There are stumps in the garden so we can

038sit and a go pit. I like having the same teachers for a few years because then you get to know them for a while and then they get to know you for a while. I like the monitoring materials because no one forces you to do a certain one and I get to choose. All the materials are sorted so they're easy to find. Plus, don't close Greenway. At Greenway, you get to choose what afternoon class you want to take. For example, if I liked ELA more than anything else, I could take it for my afternoon class. But if I like math better than anything else, I could take that for my afternoon class. For my first afternoon class, I took a coding class. I learned to code three different robots, which we don't have at Monosur.

039I don't know how you're going to have gifted classes and teachers and materials all in the same school. If you're packing schools full, I don't think that idea adds up. If you let children go to Greenway once a week, it's fine. But not it. But it's not fine if you let them go to Greenway zero times a week. And if you do, I'll lead a group of signs that says build another monastery. Also, if you do, don't do it again. Please. And thank you. Bye. >> Thank you for your testimony. And next we will have Cara Bratanic. My name is Cara Bratanic and over the last two years you have heard me speak about the flawed and inaccurate data presented in the future ready plan. Tonight is no different because despite what Dr. Walters and

040his team would have you believe, they have not corrected any errors that have been brought to light and they have barely acknowledged flaws in their methodology. The enrollment data excludes preK students. That might be fine except you're counting EC classrooms in the functional capacity and at Monasuri specifically those students are in classrooms with our kindergarteners. This artificially lowers the utilization rate not only at Monasuri but other buildings like Fulton, Dworth and ATA where the EC classrooms are counted but the preK students are not. Despite repeated efforts, Dr. Walters finally acknowledged this in December. Yet none of the documents have been updated and the data remains inaccurate. Speaking [snorts] of functional capacity, it's a decade old metric that needs to change. It's not enough to just know how many students a building can hold. We must

041understand how classrooms are actually used, especially if you intend to offer art, music, world language, and gifted programs in every school. And what happens to early childhood rooms if they get filled with other students? If you're not reserving space for these programs, how can you guarantee they will exist after consolidation? Which gets me to my next point. In the most recent feasibility report, the building utilization section discusses renovation costs, but provides no projected enrollment figures or clear analysis of whether buildings can fit the students you plan to move there. Did that data accidentally get omitted, like the 50 pages from Director Diodat's copy of that report? I found charts buried on the PPS website showing that several buildings would lack sufficient classrooms. Isn't that data the backbone of feasibility? As Director Silk noted last week,

042we should not have to dig through multiple reports to find the necessary data to make an informed decision. Those charts come from the on-site evaluations conducted by Mr. McNamera and his team last spring. He told me over the summer that they had not done one at the Friendship Building because that building was proposed to close. So, did they just skip walkthroughs at all the other buildings that were proposed to close? If so, why? It's basic methodology to compare to a baseline. Our education experts should know this. The same inconsistency appears when it comes to renovation costs. A local architect who has spoken here before noticed that buildings that were going to remain open had estimates for project specific work while those that were going to close had broader estimates calculated per square foot. How can

043you accurately compare buildings when you're using different methodologies to calculate costs? These are concerns and questions that I have raised since the beginning and they remain largely unanswered. What we're left with is a flawed design based on cherrypicked numbers and meaningless metrics. Despite what the Council for Great City Schools suggests, you are entitled to clear answers and complete data before making a decision of this magnitude. I commend those of you that continue to hold this administration accountable, and I urge the rest of you to do the same. The fact that this administration has struggled to give you accurate and transparent information during planning should tell you exactly how the implementation would unfold. >> Thank you for your testimony. Our next speaker is Vanessa Duga. It's unbelievable that we are here so soon after this wildly

044inadequate plan was voted down. There were board members who wanted so much to vote yes, but in the end there were too many unanswered questions and it didn't make sense. It still doesn't make sense. and the necessary data isn't there. This plan was so poorly put together that the city council, who normally didn't agree on much, felt compelled to write to the board to vote no. The board spends our taxpayer dollars on hiring an outofstate company to gaslight many of members of the board and basically instruct the superintendent to do the same to the public. This feels like a huge waste of time and money. Speaking of time, the meeting on the 17th was almost as long as all of the public hearings that were held over the summer combined. That public hearing that a

045lot of parents didn't know about that took place last summer was a total of 3 hours and 37 minutes. Is this community community engagement you think closing nine schools deserves? If the previous closures didn't save money or help enrollment, how does this? Every year, PPS spends more and more on charters. You can't afford to ignore the price tag for giving up choice at the elementary level. The charters will expand their footprint and continue to demand more of the public school funding with little to no oversight. Couple of weeks ago, we were at an awards ceremony at our school when a parent got on stage and asked how many people had heard of the future ready plan or school closures. No one that I could see raised their hand. And this is at a school who's

046always first in line to close. More true community engagement is needed. Please start over. We need a new plan for school consolidations. We need a plan that puts the most vulnerable at the forefront with the data that makes sense. and our questions answered and the community the whole community in mind and also since we aren't allowed to clap or snap or show any support after people speak I would just like to say that it was really great to hear from the high school students tonight. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. And our next speaker this evening is Tiara Collins. again Tiarara Collins. We'll move to the next speaker is Rahee Chowry. My name is Rahit Chowri. I've lived in Friendship for five years and I'm a parent I'm a the parent of a

047student at Pittsburgh Monasuri. I spoke before this board last July about what Monasuri means to the Friendship neighborhood. And tonight I want to talk about what it means and and could mean for the district. I'm here right now as many of the parents uh today were because I'm concerned about what I heard at the board meeting last week that there might be a reason to close the Monasuria school altogether. Now the district is facing declining enrollment and I understand the pressure to close buildings and consolidate but I'd ask you to look carefully at what schools are actually working. Pittsburgh Monasuri, as I'm sure many know, uh is the only fully public uh public monastery school in the state, and it ranks in the top 20% of schools statewide, while the district as a whole is

048below state averages. And there is strong demand for the school. While most other schools in the district are struggling to fill seats, the Monatory program has a long wait list with over three dozen students on it as of last May. The demand is so strong that a former Pittsburgh Monasuri teacher who I think is going to be speaking today applied to open a Monasuri charter school. Now, here's what I'd like the board to consider. As uh we've heard already today, research supports what the data at our school already shows. Uh systematic review of over 2,000 studies found that compared to a traditional education, a monatory education consistently leads to better outcomes for children. Vice President Reid also last week said that she believes deeply in Monasuri methods. The superintendent's own plan originally proposed keeping Monastery

049open as the even the only elementary magnet. My own son, who's very quiet and reserved, uh has benefited greatly personally from this mixed classrooms and self-directed learning. The method clearly works and it has tremendous support from both parents and school officials. We shouldn't be talking about whether to close the program or move the program. What we should really be talking about is expanding the program and building on its success. In a district struggling with enrollment, the proven program with a weight list and strong outcomes isn't part of the problem. It could be part of the solution. I chose Pittsburgh. I chose friendship and my family chose Pittsburgh Monastery. If the district wants to attract and retain families, you need programs that families want. and you already have one. Please invest in it. Thank you. >>

050Thank you. And our next speaker is Holly Mson. I'm too blind to read off a phone. Sorry, I have my giant laptop. Um, hi, I'm Holly Mson. I'm a parent of a seventh grader at Schiller. And I think for us to move forward, we need to bust some myths. Uh let's be mythbusters. So one myth is that Dr. Walters has given you the board the details you need before approving his plan. And the sad fact is that Dr. Walters has avoided providing complete accurate data even when it was required by the board in resolution in August. Um and recently the Post Gazette reported that a parent submitted a right to know request that required PPS to share certain data that allegedly informed the future ready plan. and the Walters administration had to admit that data

051doesn't exist. Yikes. Um, another myth is that as board members, it's not your place to tell the superintendent how to do the job that you hired him for. Um, but the consultant from CGCS misinformed you about your rights. It is your right and responsibility to speak up um, and represent the people of Pittsburgh. um not just the individual things that you're hearing from parents, but the greater good and what is good for the future of Pittsburgh um and for the students um and your responsibility to hold the superintendent accountable. Another myth is that focusing on filling up buildings with students, which is what the future ready plan would do, is the only way to save money or address inequity in PPS. But as many have said, previous closures didn't save money. They didn't stabilize enrollment

052and they didn't change the opportunity gaps. and this plan would displace the very students PPS has failed the most. That's not equity. The biggest myth is that you, the board, have an all or all or nothing choice. Either vote for this plan or stick to the status quo. And I trust that you can see that that's a false choice. Um, you can vote no on this plan that doesn't have enough substance um to do what it promises do to do. And you can take action on changes that will actually address inequities and make change now. Um, so I believe real equity centered change is within reach. Um, and they're within reach now. So, for example, and I will email you with more detailed thoughts, but there's board consensus on the idea to move gifted instruction

053from the gifted center, which requires expensive and inefficient midday buses to homechools. I think this is a great place to start because it takes a critical look at the delivery model that currently is disproportionately underserving black students. It changes that delivery model so that it expands access to all students by redirecting resources and increasing staff capacity in home schools and it is currently showing su success in two PPS schools. So it's already been piloted and we can learn and assess what has worked and not worked and use that to improve future transitions. So board, I ask that you vote no on the future ready plan for the third or fourth or fifth time and welcome to the new folks. um and that any change should begin with community wisdom, accurate data, and actually address inequity

054by >> Thank you for your testimony. >> And our next speaker this evening is Holly Cox. Hi, I'm Holly Cox and I'm the parent of a ninth grader at Alder Dice and a class of 21 Obama graduate. Our family has been in PPS since 2008. And when my daughter graduates, we'll have had 21 years in the district. In that time, I've learned policy, history, and what the PPS decisions throughout the years have done for our communities, how this continues to play out and affect new generations of children. This new plan, the future ready plan, will have an impact for generations to come. I appreciate the board members and administrators who have taken the time to really hear concerns from community members. And for me, that has meant board member Yel Silks community hours where she

055answered my concerns, those of other parents and Alderise and Lindon students. When I sent an email to the board last summer with concerns and links to similar plans from across the country, Tracy Reed Reed reached out and we had a great conversation. I've also been to meetings led by consultants in the district. Questions were taken, but after the meetings, many people expressed frustration. They felt dismissed that their questions weren't answered or like their concerns just weren't taken seriously. People have questioned how many of the goals from the goals and guardrail sessions have actually been considered. Online comment sections contain posts of people still confused over the basics. How is a school's capacity determined? How can we offer great education when we can't dedicate rooms for art and music? What about transportation concerns? This is timely

056since a teenage PPS student was kicked off a city bus and left to freeze overnight before he was taken to the hospital the next morning, which also begs questions about accommodations for our ESL population. This isn't new and as long as I've been in the district and probably before, there have been complaints about communication, parents not feeling heard, not getting answers from administrators. We're encouraged to use the proper means of communication, but when parents come to hearings, board president Gene Walker dismisses the Monday people. Virtual testimony expands who can speak at the hearings, but he tried to cut that off as well. These actions and these meetings don't make PPS families feel like a valued partner in this plan. This isn't how you build consensus. With a plan of this scope, communication needs to be

057paramount. Thoughtful discussions with parents and community leaders about what's best for the children in their communities are what is needed. There are grumblings that this has taken too long and that's why a vote needs to happen again to push forward. It's taken too long because there hasn't been open communication to begin with. Moving forward means starting open dialogues now. Having deep discussions about what these changes mean for our schools, our communities, and our city. discussing beneficial changes like expanding community schools in the district or the monastery program, getting to specifics now of how everyone can have equitable education and transportation, not figure it out as we go along. This is what our children deserve. Please vote no on the plan. And thank you so much for your time. Thank you for your testimony. And next,

058our next speaker is Sarah Zangel. Hi everyone. My name is Sarah Zangel. I'm a PPS parent and a self-proclaimed board groupy for about the last three and a half years. Um, thanks to the new board members for being here and taking up the baton. Um, thank you to the board members who have been here and continue to carry on the work forward. We appreciate you and we realize the weight and the gravity of being on the board at this time. Um, I'm trying to understand the process of what's going on here. So, in the spirit of clarity, I'm going to revisit the recent PPS timeline from a parent perspective, from my perspective. So, in spring 24, the RFP was written for a company to come in and design a plan that the school for the

059school district based on the tenants put forth by Dr. Walters. In May, PPS hired Education Resource Strategies, a financial consulting nonprofit. The ERS began to conduct community outreach sessions over the summer. In August 24, ERS presented the first draft of the facilities utilization plan. There was intense community reaction. I'm sure we all remember that. Um, in response, ERS, the administration, and the board held community feedback sessions where the community had 30 seconds per person to comment on their concerns, ideas, and thoughts on the plan. At the final community outreach session, I used my 30 seconds to ask why ERS only presented one option when we were promised several. And I was told by the consultant it was because our district is pretty complicated. Fair enough. Um, after this feedback, I volunteered and got permission from

060Dr. Walters and director Walter who were both in attendance to lead a group of community members to create a possible sec second option. As ERS was finalizing adjustments to the original plan, we were working on a community plan. ERS presented their final version in November of 2024. The community proposal was not given a chance to present to the full board and the administration. We were given an hour of time at the to the administration in the spring of 25. We created the community community proposal in an earnest attempt to give another option to the board, the Pittsburgh community, and the administration. We started with Dr. Walters's 12 tenants. And then we listened. We listened to hours of public testimony, community feedback sessions, interviewed staff, administration, and community members, talked to community groups, and education advocates.

061The list goes on. We compiled all the comments and the feedback and the result was an organically created facilities plan that was built with equity as the guiding light. Well after we finished the proposal, we realized that our proposal looks and functions very much like the system that Denver public schools put in place about 13 years ago. Even with a rocky start, Denver public schools saw a huge jump in graduation rate and substantial academic growth for all population subsets. if we are now revisiting options that have previously been dismissed. I just want to let you all know that the community proposal is still available. We did the leg work. All you have to do is listen and ask questions. Literally, all you have to lose is your time. It's low risk and potentially high reward.

062But when you have to um you voted this plan in once because you didn't feel it met PPS needs. You have a moral, ethical, and legal, I repeat, legal obl. >> Thank you for your testimony. And next is Bethany Cameron. Hi school board directors. My name is Bethany Cameron. Uh my son attends Schiller Steam Academy and we live in Overbrook. I'm here tonight representing informup.org, a local news nonprofit which reports on public meetings and includes surveys so we can represent readers preferences back to their elected officials. Our community survey ran from February 20th to 23rd. [snorts] Uh I'll cover two issues related to uh closures and classroom instruction. Number one, priorities for school closure decisions. Uh the question we asked was if some school closures are necessary, which factors should the board prioritize when deciding

063which schools to close? 59 readers responded. Residents top priority was keeping students close to their neighborhoods. That was followed closely by uh transportation, travel time, and minimizing the number of students who must change schools. Maintaining property values ranked last. One resident from the central north side said students must be the major consideration. Transitioning by not having the lowest grade in schools being closed each year until the school is empty could be considered. Another resident from the central north side said the goal should continue to be fewer and updated buildings filled to capacity supported by diverse staff and programs including arts, music, athletics, dance, and community culture. Number two on physical movement in classroom instruction. The question we asked was, should integrating physical movement into classroom instruction be a priority for Pittsburgh public schools? 51 people

064responded, 67% of whom somewhat or strongly agreed that integrating physical movement into classroom instruction should be a priority. 14% somewhat or strongly disagreed. Regarding the walk and listen content journey, a resident from Dain Heights said students should have movement throughout their day. However, I don't think listening to a podcast is a useful learning strategy. We'll send your offices the full report and all comments. Thank you for considering residents important views on these issues facing the district. >> Thank you for your testimony. And next we will have Heidi Dere. Good evening. My name is Heidi Dere and I'm a parent and tutor at Pittsburgh Monasuri. I recognize the board is tired of hearing about buildings. So tonight I would like to talk about students and how Monasuri is a one of our district's greatest tools for

065closing the achievement gap. Rather than debating square footage, I want to focus on the methodology and how we can expand the successful model to be more equitable and accessible to more families in the district. I'm here tonight to talk about the future of the Monatory program. It is a proven program of academic excellence and our district can simply not afford to lose it. I recognize the immense challenges you face with the future ready plan. I also hear the fatigue surrounding building specific debates. My focus tonight is on how we can take the success of Monasuri and use it to benefit more students across the entire district. Monasuri is not just another magnet. It's one of our highest performing models. According to the US News and World Reports ranking, we are in the top 20% of

066public elementary schools statewide. With 67 math proficiency and 72% reading proficiency, we are far exceeding the district averages. This isn't an accident. This is the Monatory method in action. It fosters self-directed learning and critical thinking, which are exactly the future ready skills our students need. This model works in urban public settings and should be a blueprint for the excellence Pittsburgh public schools strives for. However, we do have an equity problem. Monasuri is currently a saved magnet, but it remains inaccessible to many families in our district. If we want to truly be future ready, we should be talking about expanding this model, not just maintaining one school. While I personally value our current building, I understand the board's difficult position regarding facilities. My priority is the integrity of the program and its growth. Instead of a

067conversation about square footage, let's talk about leveraging our expertise. Let's use our high-erforming staff to train more educators in Monasury method. Let's close the achievement gap by expanding Monasury into neighborhood schools so it isn't a lottery win for a few, but a standard for many. I would like to challenge us all to move from a reduction mindset to an innovation mindset and to protect the academic outcomes we've achieved and commit to a plan that brings Monosuria success to more students districtwide. I thank you for your time and your continuous service to our community. Thank you. >> Thank you. And now we will move over to our virtual speakers. And our first virtual speaker tonight will be Mark Rodiffus. >> Good evening, Dr. Waters and board administrators. I'm Mark Rodicus. I live on the south side.

068I have two boys that went through the district from K to 12. My father was a gifted teacher in his past, but um he also worked many years at the teacher center. And I've been a coach for PPS in the past for more than 10 years. And as a swim coach and when I coach swimming, our kids always went to state championships. And I've been a volunteer and committee member on a number of official and volunteer ways. And one was with the athletic reform task force. So I wrote in my agenda item that the only way to eat an elephant is to take one bite at a time. And I hate to repeat myself because I did mention this at a past board meeting, but uh you've repeated yourselves. So I think it's justified. You

069know, we need to stage things. That was a topic that you talked about. We need to take this one step at a time. I would hate to see a unilateral one vote happen with all these moving parts. It's um you know Pittsburgers you know they say that we don't like change. Well I don't believe that's true. We hate change for the worse and uh this plan is not good. And you know the elephant in the room is that everybody sees you know it's the debt. You know it's rising cost. You know it's issues of poverty and test scores and facilities that are aging and the capacity and charter schools and you know our outward migration. you know, as well as, you know, the image of PPS, you know, so we understand that those are real

070problems, but when you try to do one bite for the whole kitten kaboodleoodle, there's no way it's going to happen, you know, and and then the power of the board diminishes and then the power of the citizens diminish, too. So, we want to see baby steps and they can be fast steps. So, you know, the plan wasn't good. Um the presentation was flat. You know, the devil was in the details. And um you know, I hope everybody today has all the missing pages in the board book. You know, one thing that I've asked about is Oliver High School. You know, it's hardly in there at all. And another matter, um I'm understanding that some of the swimming pools in Pittsburgh public schools are um not opening for the rest of the year. I wonder what's

071going on with that. uh you know the gifted program I think keeps a lot of people in the city and it helps our kids that stay in their classrooms to have better quality time with their teachers and so citizens um keep plugging um you know I think I want to hear more and see more about the community plan and it's really important that we replicate what works. Good luck to you. Thank you for your testimony. And next we will have Sena Kaine. >> Hi, good evening. My name is Sienna Kaine and I am I'm new to Pittsburgh public and the future ready plan. My daughter is prek at Pittsburgh Monasuri. We entered Pittsburgh PPS with a fair amount of unpredictability. After not gaining a spot at any of the three pre-K school options, including our

072feeder school, we enrolled our daughter in private school. Although not our first choice, we needed a concrete solution. And one week into the school year, we got into Pittsburgh Vanasauri and we made the switch. The start of our PPS experience wasn't smooth, but ultimately it's been the best for our family. I believe in public schools and we have community here. We are now allin and we are making plans based on being a PPS family. We love our school and our daughter is thriving. She is learning from her peers and has gained very uh so much confidence over these past six months. And I wish this type of experience for every PPS student. Unfortunately, Unfortunately, we are once again experiencing unpredictability. I learned last week that my daughter's school may now completely close. Pittsburgh Monasuri and

073others like it yield high student outcomes. Dworth, Alagany Traditional, and other elementary uh magnets offer programming that families want and that draw and keep children in the Pittsburgh public system. They are programs that should be expanded and more children in the district should have easier access to them. And school choice is everywhere. As I'm sure you know, in 2026, it's on the agenda. People are abandoning public education institutions. From federal cuts at the Department of Education to federal and state budgetary allocations for school choice vouchers, we cannot look away from the reality that families are leaving our schools every day. Further removing programs that work, that are so popular that they have weight lists that have positive outcomes for our children will only exacerbate this problem that public education is having. Closing successful and popular

074programs and schools will not only push people away from this district, but from our city. Successful public schools, especially at the elementary level, draw families and keep families in our city and in our public schools. Education is not the only public good under attack. We are privatizing systems that thrive when they are used by people with and without choice. The measure of a good public system is its broad use. The PPS future readiness plan cannot underestimate the reality that the future public education of Pittsburgh public is uncertain. Families disappointed with the closures or even the prospect of a closure of their loved and successful schools like Pittsburgh Monasuri will seek out other options. They will move to the suburbs when their children are school age. They will enter private and charter schools. Families without options

075will continue to use our system which will see declining enrollment and funding. These closures will hurt everyone because they will perpetuate the problem of families leaving a shrinking district with dwindling resources. I understand the difficult position of the school district and I will not pretend to have the solution to our district's financial troubles here today. But I will urge you to not consider the closure of successful programs offered to the youth of our city. This and other successful su successful programs should be replicated and expanded. >> Thank you for your testimony. Sorry. And our next speaker is Gada Makoshi. Thank you. Good evening. I have two kids in the district, one at Scitec and one at Monasuri, but I will not be focusing on anyone's school tonight. I want to focus on four areas that

076need to be answered before any board member should feel comfortable enough to vote. Students with disabilities, discipline and school policing, racial and equity impact, and transportation safety, students with disabilities. So, if school closures or reconfigurations change placements, IDA requires IEP review and potentially new placement determinations. So, my questions are, how many students with IEPs will experience a change in placement under this plan? How many IEP meetings will that require? And where specifically is the staffing capacity to conduct those meetings without delaying services? This is not a small administrative issue to be dealt with last minute, it's a federal compliance issue. If the district cannot manage those transitions with precision, our most vulnerable students stand to lose services. Second, discipline and school policing. I've spoken about this before through my work at the ACLU, but when

077schools consolidate, disciplinary systems consolidate. Research consistently shows that disruption and school transitions increase behavioral issues, particularly in the first two years. Yet, this plan does not include a mitigation strategy for out of school suspensions, referrals to police, arrests, or summary citations. So, my questions, what is the district's projected impact on suspension rates? Will truency citations be centrally tracked and publicly reported? Currently, they are not tracked anywhere on purpose. What safeguards are in place to ensure consolidation does not increase studentto police conduct contact? Will there be more psychologists, social workers, and pair professionals hired? The equity and racial impact. Most of the proposed closures are concentrated in predominantly black school communities. So where is the formal equity audit? What will be measured three years from now to determine whether this plan reduced or widened disparities in

078discipline, attendance, or academic access? Fourth, transportation and attendance. This plan projects major transportation shifts and expanded walk zones. So my questions are, what is the safety analysis behind those walk zone expansions? Have routes been evaluated for lighting, traffic patterns, winter conditions, and crossing guard capacity? What is the attendance impact model? Um, we already have high chronic absenteeism. If transportation becomes less reliable or less safe, attendance will not improve. If this plan is as strong as has been claimed, there should be no issue providing transparent answer to all of these questions. So before v voting, I urge the board to ask these questions on the record and require the following before voting. A disability transition and IDA compliance plan, a discipline and school policing mitigation strategy, a formal equity audit, and a transportation safety and attendance

079impact study. Equity requires real work, not simply closing programs and buildings. It includes protect uh sorry, it includes protection from predictable harm, not vague promises that everything will work out somehow. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. Our next speaker, Andrea Grey Benner. Hi, I am my name is Andrea and I am the mother of a first grader at Pittsburgh Monastery. To tell you the truth, when my husband first mentioned touring Monasuri, I had no idea anything about Pittsburgh. I didn't know who Maria Monasuri was and I believe not knowing all that stuff may be playing a part in the possibility of wanting to close it down and not knowing everything. Um I think the Pittsburgh monastery uh well the monastery method works teaching method works which is quite obvious since all the numbers that

080are out there and it's one of the top rated elementary schools in the district. So I propose instead of think instead of closing that the school or eliminating that method that we should be spreading that method around to other public schools, elementary public schools in the district and that would help I think tremendously with other children also because it is an amazing teaching method. Um, and I just request if you do not know everything about like the Monasuri method or the Maria Monasuri to go and tour the school, do some research and see what you think because it is amazing method and way to teach children at that age. Thank you and have a good day. Thank you for your testimony. Our next speaker, Ben Brewer. Hey everybody. Um, my name is Ben. I live

081on the north side. Uh, got a couple of kids in Pittsburgh public school and I wanted to encourage the board to strengthen the elementary magnet school program as a way to make our district stronger. Uh, yeah, I understand. I think the board has a really difficult and thankless job trying to build a future for the district that provides high quality and equitable educational opportunities and also make sure that we're financially stable. Um, I don't think that getting rid of the elementary magnet schools is the the way to do that. You know, everybody knows our district is losing hundreds of students a year. I think it was like upwards of 5,500 over the last decade and like a quarter quarter of enrollment. Um and I understand you know closing facilities is something that has to be

082done to address a shrinking student population. I also think we need to embrace the programs that are attracting families to PPS if we're going to rebuild enrollment. U in our case two of our kids go to Monasuri as people have me mentioned that's a school that has I think the longest waiting list of any um elementary school in the district and as as other people have said I think we should be working to to expand or to duplicate the unique program at Monasuri rather than getting rid of it as I think some board members have suggested but it's not just Monasuri you know many of our friends on the north side go to ATA uh which is a magnet school that uh demographically reflects the district and I think has shown really consistently um positive

083outcomes. So similarly, we we should be celebrating the work of the leaders and the teachers at ATA not looking to get rid of it. You know, I think at the end of the day, getting rid of elementary magnet school programs is um going to drive families away and make our district less diverse. >> Thank you for your testimony. And our next speaker, Sandre Woolly. Good evening. Um, I am Sandra Woolly. I'm a retired educator. I'm a grandparent of PPS students and chair of PIN's Education Justice Task Force. First, uh, thank you Dr. Walters and board for your hard work. PIN is trying to figure out how to be supportive and not adversarial. PIN is an interfaith group of about 30 congregations, organizations, and individuals focused on justice. I was disturbed when I listened to your

084discussion last Monday. It seemed like you will be faced with voting for or against the plan by June with few changes. Pin is not trying to kill the plan, but we do feel it needs to be revised with more public input as many people are suggesting this evening. We agree with your focus on equity. We all have bemoaned the achievement gap for years. Working towards equity equity recognizes what research shows. When the scores of lower achieving students rise, the scores of higher achieving students rise. Also, personally, I believe my grandchildren have benefited greatly from attending public schools and public schools were created to support our democracy. So, what in the plan should could be changed? PPS currently has nine community schools and could have many more. PIN believes you have an opportunity while renovating buildings

085and reorganizing schools to make space for other agencies providing services that children and families need. A key feature of community schools is a school-based team of all stakeholders assessing the needs of the community and making and carrying out plans. Dr. Walters, you have already said that you will create community teams with parent and student ambassadors to help implement the plan. These teams should be uh made now and include all the stakeholders and can form the beginnings of more community schools. So the question is always how to fund community schools. The district should not have to shoulder this cost alone. Mayor uh Okconor has stated that he wants to support communities and community centers. Pin believes it is in the best interest of the city and the district to work together. To have a strong Pittsburgh,

086the city needs strong public schools and the county, nonprofits, and foundations should help. Board of directors Pin asked you to think really big. Make public schools, community centers, and families will want to stay and come back. Please let Pin know how we can help. And thank you. Thank you for your testimony. Our next speaker is Shannon Striner. Say hi. >> Hi. >> This is Diana. She's a third grader at Fulton and I'm going to provide testimony tonight about Fton. Okay, let me go back over there. Okay. Sorry. Um, so I'm a Fulton Elementary parent. Our PTA secretary and for the past two and a half years, the unofficial school closure expert, a role I never wanted. Since my daughter Sienna started at Fulton, I have never had the luxury of simply enjoying her school without

087fear that the stability she depends on could be taken away. At Fulton, I see what real inclusion looks like every day. Sienna sits besides classmates who accept her without fanfare. It isn't loud or performative. It's quiet, daily belonging. They don't care that she works harder, takes longer, or communicates differently. That kind of community is not easy to build, and it should not be treated as disposable. Some of you have lived this history with us. Some of you are new to it. I will send documentation in writing, but tonight I want to speak plainly as a parent about what this process has become. Directors, I'm asking you to slow down and learn this history because what's happening now feels like a reset that ignores why this plan failed in November. ERS, the first consultant hired, was

088not perfect, but they did something the district still hasn't done. They built a framework that treated student disruption as a real harm to minimize. Here is a direct quote from their August present 2024 presentation. Ultimately, this is your decision. So, it is right for you to critique it. It is right for you to poke holes in it. Th that is what this process calls for. They also said, "Changes of this magnitude require careful multi-year planning so student learning isn't disrupted." Another quote, "Typically, we've seen districts take this on over the course of three to five years. And frankly, I have not worked with many districts that need this much change." Now compare that to what we heard last week from Ray Hart. Asking for clarity is fine. Asking additional follow-up questions. I think at some

089point you want to bring this process to a close. That juxiposition is the whole problem. ERS said scrutiny is the job. The facilitator last week told you to stop asking questions. I am telling you keep asking. Do your homework. Watch the full presentations. read every version of this plan and verify the materials you yourselves because, as we saw last week, even board packets can arrive with missing pages. You cannot make decisions on incomplete information, which brings me to students with IEPs in this district. The district keeps saying they'll simply move to the closest school with similar services and that a footnote in IEP meetings is enough. It isn't. Students with IEPs are not pieces on a chessboard. Thank you for your testimony. And next we'll have Mary Trigger. My name is Mary Trigo. I am

090a north side resident and a proud parent of three children at PPS Monastery. One of the main reasons I chose to live in this district was because of the PPS magnet programs. I value that families here could choose programs aligned with their children's needs and interest. Whether that's language aversion or a particular educational philosophy, these programs are not just options. They are communities that help children thrive. They also bring together families from different neighborhoods across the district into one shared school community, strengthening connections and diversity in meaningful ways. I followed the facility utilization plan closely since it was released. I attended a northside meeting and asked multiple detailed questions during what was supposed to be a Q&A session. Many of those questions still remain unanswered. The plan was voted down and I believe that gives

091this board an important opportunity to reset. I urge you to clearly identify what needs to change to make this plan work for both schools and community and to listen to what everyone is saying. Slow the process down. if changes must happen, phase them in over multiple years instead of implementing sweeping changes all at once um and dismantling the communities that have been built. I'm also deeply concerned about the magnet programs that are already successful. I mean, ATA is a wonderful example of a school in the north side that has been working successfully. Breaking apart these established communities before replacement programming is fully decided creates instability for students and families. I also want to address Monasuri. There was discussion of potentially closing this program at the board meeting last week. Monastery serves as a model that

092is working. Rather than eliminating it, we should be looking at how to expand access and increase equity so that more students from all neighborhoods have the opportunity to benefit from this approach, not just those that live in the East End. It deserves thoughtful consideration and a fair evaluation before any decisions are made. The multi-age classroom model has been transformative for my family. For a child with an IEP, continuity matters. When students remain with the same teacher for multiple years, relationships deepen and progress continues seamlessly each fall instead of starting over. That stability is invaluable. The hands-on student- centered approach works. The data reflects that we have all seen the A+ reports. Please protect the programs that are working. Answer the community's outstanding questions and move forward thoughtfully and transparently. Thank you for your time. Thank

093you for your testimony. Our next speaker, Emily Sawyer. >> Good evening. I just wanted to start by uh commending the high school students that spoke this evening and thanking them for including us all in being able to hear their thoughts and ideas. It was really, really important and special, and I'm grateful that I got to hear it. Um, closing schools is the status quo. Closing schools is the status quo. It is what we have always done. It is what school districts always do. It is not new. It is not innovative. It will not bring us change. Um I wasn't sure what to make of the discussion that we heard on on Tuesday last week on the future ready plan. I am sure that I'm outraged that we're paying for that facilitation. Did you all agree

094to that? It's the second time that a person who seems like they worked for the superintendent has taken control of your meeting to limit the input you are allowed to give and the details you are allowed to ask for. Did you all agree to that? Did you know that's what you were signing up for when you paid council for the great city schools and pass student outcomes focused governance? because if you didn't, it's okay to revisit that and change your minds about council for great city council for great city schools and student outcomes focused governance. I find it odd that the narrative is being spun that the school board will quote unquote decide on school closures before the end of this school year because the school board already decided on school closures when they voted

095against it in November. The district is essentially trying to relitigate a case that already has a verdict without providing any new evidence. Sure, the board was allowed to a handful of questions they still wanted answers to. But there are dozens, if not hundreds of unanswered questions that the board has been asking for for months. Why haven't they been answered? Why is the district trying to find any way to get this pan plan passed instead of trying to build the best plan possible and then pass that? We have such an opportunity to decide what we really want and then figure out what will get us there. not decide we want to close schools or we have to close schools and then try to figure out how to make that work for us. That will not get

096us where we want to go. Why is there insistence on jamming this unpopular, underdeveloped plan through? Why the reticence to tell us what the trade-offs are? Is it because, you know, we aren't going to get anything out of it? Because the data from across the country and across decades doesn't back up school closures as an effective way to bolster budgets or improve enrollment and educational delivery. And we don't even need that data because we all know from experiencing previous rounds of school closures right here in PPS that closures only harm students and communities, decrease enrollment, and break trust. Do not pass this plan. Build on what people agree on and what can work. Um, I also want to speak to my white families. We are the white and privileged people. What if we just don't

097leave the district? Even if we don't get exactly what we want, I am asking you to just not leave. We are the ones who decide. >> Thank you for your testimony. >> And our next speaker is Lily Almond. The plan has been brought back up again and it doesn't seem to have been updated since it was voted down back in November. This plan isn't future ready. It's a half-finish plan that's being put back on the table. Instead of bringing this plan back up while it's unfinished, make a new plan or scrap this plan entirely. Make a plan that involves real community input, actual data, and works for everyone, not just you, the board. Stop trying to make past mistakes in a plan in plans that are supposed to be future ready. Thank you for your

098testimony. And our next speaker, Valerie Web A. For the two years that the district has been working on this plan, our families and community members have been advocating for the same changes the district claims that its ultimate goal are uh is providing equity to all students, better resources and supports to staff, and more transparency to the community. Most of us here regularly have not been advocating just for our specific kids or for a few singular buildings, but changes to benefit all kids schools and ensuring that any plan doesn't repeat the same harm as past closures have. We have showed up for years to ask questions, provide insight and solutions, demand accountability, and ensure that our most vulnerable students and communities were centered in the discussion instead of an afterthought. Believe it or not, there is

099no one more disappointed that a true future ready plan hasn't been passed by now. But rejecting the poorly conceived plan in November was the right thing to do, even if it was harder than just making change for change sake. The resolution never needed to be brought back to reconvene the education committee, build the on the good parts of the plan, begin making changes for the next school year with pilot programs, demand data and more information to build a better plan. Revisiting the resolution only serves to bypass the protective public procedures mandated by the Commonwealth to close the nine specific schools listed. Pashing out the resolution wastes even more time. Much of the reason this process has taken so long is actually because the superintendent has actively avoided providing complete accurate data even when required by

100the board. The community demanded the missing data used to formulate assumptions and footprints of this plan for months before submitting a right to know request. It wasn't until after that that the administration was forced to admit that the data doesn't even exist. Community members have brought forward concerns and evidence of flaws in the faculty utilization data and more for over a year knowing these flaws were being used to determine what schools would be closed. But those concerns were dismissed repeatedly. It appears that we are all being misled by the superintendent. His efforts to avoid these questions and pushing for the school closure hearings to be held when an authentic community engagement was impossible. board members weren't even able to be there and new members of the board weren't seated has only slowed everything down and

101destroyed community trust with the footprint being developed without appropriate accurate data to inform it or capacity for remaining schools to be supported. You can't support any of these plans that are going to be implemented. I urge you to vote no on this failing resolution once and for all. Stop wasting time trying to limit plans to a footprint and plan that isn't data driven. Stop doing things backwards and actually move forward. Get accurate data and figure out what is necessary to achieve the ultimate goal, equity. First, begin to implement pilot programs for next year. Consult with the equity advisory panel in a do an equity audit. Then create a footprint and a timeline that actually s supports the successful plan implementation going forward. Change for change is >> Thank you for your testimony. And our next

102speaker, Danny Bracken is Danny Bracken. I'm a PPS monatory parent. So, it sounds like many of us are here tonight because something truly valuable is potentially at risk. The PPS uh monastery program is not simply another magnet school. It represents a fundamentally different way of educating children. I do want to acknowledge the enormous effort that has gone into evaluating how to reorganize district resources. That work seems necessary and difficult and I do not envy your jobs. But in making these decisions, we must be clear about what could be lost. Unlike magnet programs centered on subject areas such as language or STEM, Monasuri is an educational philos philos philosophy. It is built around self-directed learning, mixed age classrooms and developmentally responsive instruction. This model cannot simply be recreated by consolidating and reallocating resources to neighborhood schools.

103It is structurally and pedagogically distinct. Uh the previous plan seemed to recognize this nuance. It acknowledge not only the existing investment in the program but also the years professional development, curriculum alignment and community that have made it successful. that infrastructure cannot be casually dismantled and later rebuilt. This is a unique program and is rare for a public school district to have a monastery offering. It's an immense asset to our city and should be celebrated. Eliminating this highly successful and sought after program does not broaden academic opportunity across the district. It narrows it. It removes an option that meets the needs of students and families who have found in Monasuri. an approach where their children truly flourish. If our goal is to serve students more effectively and equitably, the answer is not in action. It is

104thoughtful expansion. Other than eliminating a proven working model, we should be asking to increase and diversify access to it. A strong district is not one that reduces educational diversity is one that sustains the pathways to success. I urge you to preserve the PPS monastery program and building a system that recognizes that children do not all learn the same way and that our schools should reflect that truth. Thank you for your testimony. And next, Jasine Worthy. Good evening, PPS parents, community members, and stakeholders. I am here speaking tonight because our kids will have to pay the price for decisions made without competence or meaningful engagement with us. This is not politics. It's their education, their safety, and their future. Every time leadership moves forward without listening, without planning, it creates real problems and consequences. Some board

105members don't even know the basic procedures outlined in their bylaws. Now, this shows a deeper issue, a lack of understanding, preparation, and respect for process. And it puts our children at risk. We shouldn't have to pick up the pieces when they fail. We shouldn't have to um you know depend on them for our children's time, their learning and their opportunities because they that that can't be replaced. And yet delays, missteps and lack of communication continue. Accountability is an optional. It's required. We deserve engagement before decisions are made, not after. Leadership comes with responsibility and right now that responsibility is being ignored. Our children deserve better. We deserve better. Accountability now. >> Thank you for your testimony. And our next speaker is Carrie Thompson. >> Good evening. I'm the parent of a monastery student, but I

106want to speak on to to the broad uh subjects that you've heard from so many parents tonight. And I couldn't agree with so many more parents more about the the challenges that face us. I think that you can hear that parents aren't against change overall. We want positive changes, not chipping away the valuable public resources that are our schools. I'm a strong believer in the value of public education. Emily, I commit as one of those white privileged parents to keeping my kid in public schools. I think it's incredibly important for the foundations of our democracy that we think about what we want out of our public education system. And that's why starting from the place of just assuming that we have to close buildings is the wrong choice. What we have to start from is

107the fact that we have lost students in the district. And why is that? It's because parents can make other choices now. So what are the things that attract families into our district? What are the things that build a vibrant school district that will keep parents in the district? We need to focus on safety. We need to focus on quality of the education. There are things that we haven't even had a chance to talk about that could reimagine the way our public schools are in our system. What if we talked about thinking about our start times to as a way to address the challenges of transportation? So much research has been put into the fact that teenagers do not learn well in the morning. Can we not push back start times for a half hour and

108lengthen the day just slightly to improve outcomes at our high schools? What about other kinds of commitments the district said it was going to make like putting HVAC systems into more buildings so we don't suffer from high heat closures? Can you pull that off over the summer at all of the high schools so that those students do not have to lose any in-person teaching days next year? These are the kinds of details that are really lacking in the plan that has been put forward to you before and that is a reason why you shouldn't be starting from there. Instead, we need to think about what it is that we actually want. We don't want fewer buildings. I'm sure you don't either. I think we have to face the reality of our aging infrastructure means that

109there probably will need to be significant changes at many of our buildings. But the way to accomplish that isn't just to shove more students from one building into another over the course of one school year. You're going to need a multi-year plan for how you actually accomplish those upgrades. Those are some of the things that we should be talking about. What would it look like to gut one of these older buildings in a great location and turn it into the 21st century school that we need? What would it look like to actually create listening sessions in the community that allow parents to talk for more than 30 seconds at a time? >> Thank you for your testimony. previously >> and our next speaker, Michael Cumins. >> Good evening. My name is Mike Cumins, uh, two

110PPS students and a coordinator of the PPS community proposal. I begin by urging you to uphold your commitment to not approve any new charter schools during this reorganization process. Instead, let's focus on expanding our monatory offerings within PPS and not give up the ball before the opening buzzer. Next, I must address the recent board discussion on the future ready plan. It was deeply disappointing to see the council of great city schools prevent a real conversation on addressing the plan shortcomings. I don't believe the board intended to bring this up for discussion only to be restricted to clarifying question. We've been through multiple rounds of that with little additional information or clarity. It's unacceptable to allow comp student outcomes focused governance to eliminate your authority to demand real community engagement or to address the glaring challenges

111of this plan. It also might be time to re-evaluate the council of great city schools contract as the community warned before it was approved. Third, I have urged the board to seriously consider the community proposal is a set of practical modifications to the future ready plan built upon Dr. Walter's score tenants and ERS's foundational recommendations. This is not a complete overhaul, but a wellthoughtout adjustment to address the challenges of the current plan. It aligns more closely with the RS's strong recommendations on implementation timelines, public engagement, and others. It more consistently handles magnets and gradeband configurations. Given the rejection of the current plan, why not consider the ideas the community has spent thousands of hours developing? It could improve the plan without significant additional time and very importantly demonstrate genuine engagement, which is key to rebuilding

112trust. As a member of the PIN Education Justice Task Force, which Sandy talked about a few minutes ago, I also continue to advocate for true community engagement, listening to families needs and desires rather than defending an unpopular plan. Reconfiguration is also the ideal time to incorporate community schools into the new structure, planning the spaces and amenities we need in advance, not trying to shoehorn them in later. Putting community schools at the forefront will build community trust and support and create opportunities for collaboration with the city for mutually beneficial outcomes to all involved. We can and must do better than the current future ready plan for every student in EPF. Thank you for your consideration. >> Thank you for your testimony. And our next speaker is Allison Beioni. >> Thank you. I am here to express

113my strong support for Pittsburgh Monatory's magnet programs and specifically for the monastery education within the public school setting. I recognize that the district is facing complex and difficult decisions. I appreciate the weight of that responsibility and respectfully ask that student outcomes and long-term community impact remain central in those discussions. From my experience as a parent, I've watched my daughter thrive in the monastery environment. Over the past year and a half, she's demonstrated significant growth in early literacy and math, but also in independence and problem solving. Equally important, she's developed confidence, intrinsic motivation, and strong social emotional skills. These outcomes are not anecdotal alone. Research on monastery programs show that students often develop strong academic performance, advanced self-regulation, and well-developed executive functioning skills. Factors closely linked to long-term academic success. Studies also indicate children who attend

114Monatory preschool programs enter kindergarten with strong readiness skills and literacy and social emotional development, positioning them for sustained achievement. As a healthcare provider serving this community, I see Monasur's impact beyond my own family. The structure of the Monasuri classroom, multi-age grouping, individual pacing, hands-on learning, and emphasis on independence can provide an inclusive and supportive environment for neurode divergent students. For many children, this model functions as a least restrictive environment that supports autonomy while meeting diverse learning needs. and our prof in my professional observation, many of these students flourish in a monastery setting in ways that may be difficult to replicate in a traditional model. While consolidating programs might create structural symmetry, equity requires access to varied pathways that meet diverse student needs. Removing the Monasuri program would reduce choice and potentially limit opportunities for students

115who benefit from this approach. Instead, I encourage the board to view Pittsburgh Monastery as a point of pride and a model worth strengthening and expanding to increase access across the district. I also respectfully ask the board to consider the significant investments that have already been made from specialized teacher training which required extensive time and financial commitment as well as district investments in monitoring materials and classroom infrastructure. I share these comments not in opposition but in partnership. I value Pittsburgh Monatory Schools and I want to see all students succeed. We believe monastery education is one meaningful pathway towards that goal and I urge you to preserve and build upon it to benefit current students. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. And our next speaker is Miss Sylvia Wilson. >> Good evening everyone. I want

116to thank the board members for bringing this plan back up. It is important to make sure that all children in Pittsburgh are being considered in their ed educational academic uh pro programs. I believe that the fact that we have a complete plan plan obviously can always make some adjustments but is a lot better than what has occurred in the past when schools were closed. We can't just cater to small groups of people. We must consider all the children. We should not have schools that are two that have STEM when we should have those opportunities for children across the board. I think it is a comprehensive plan and it is something that our children deserve. Our schools are not the reason that people leave. I would like to remind everyone that our public housing has been

117closed in many areas of the city and those families were moved to the county. We have lost so many families and I dis dislike those individuals who continue to put negative emphasis on our schools when in fact our children have been given Whoops. I'm done. My my three minutes is up. Okay, I'm done. >> Thank you for your testimony. And our next speaker is Karen Cornell. Good evening. Um, I am a PPS parent of two students and my focus tonight is that simply filling buildings with students is not the only way to um fix or save our district or improve equity. I am concerned that neither the board, parents or school district seems to have an up-to-date, accurate, and consistent methodology for determining building capacity. I believe that if we were to close the schools

118as outlined in the future ready plan that it would result in larger class sizes and less individual individual support. And I understand the desire for each school to have access to music, to art, to the programs that they need, but I don't think that parents have art on a cart or utilizing closet space in mind when they imagine those programs. Having a roving art teacher versus a dedicated art space are two very different things. I have not seen concrete evidence that demonstrates a true understanding how of how each newly formed school would absorb additional students and avoid situations like this. Even if we do focus on building usage, there are v viable alternatives to closures like adapting spaces for community services. I also believe that the biggest differences in student outcomes are connected to programs

119and relationships, not just building capacity. I would like to know why we are proposing to end multiple successful programs in the district. And I'd like for us to work and focus on how we can more equitably distribute our programs and resources. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. Our next speaker, Aaron Childs. >> Good evening. I'm sorry I couldn't be there in person tonight, but I'm recovering from a surgery last Friday. My name is Aaron Childs, and I'm the mother of three PPS students. My children have all reached middle school now, and they all hate doing some part of their homework. It's a fact of life as a parent. It's always interesting, though, because they try different ways to get out of it. Over the past six months, I've heard so many different excuses

120and maneuvers. I turned that in. I don't know why she hasn't graded it. Oh, I actually just found it in my backpack. Oh, let me check. Yeah, I turned that in. Except actually it's I just did it and submitted it five minutes ago since you asked. I couldn't do the presentation. He didn't call on me to do it. Spoiler alert. Texted the teacher on talking points and she had totally been called on and refused to do it. Now, I'm going to be honest with you. Listening to Dr. Walters talk to you about the future ready plan over the past year and more feels a lot like listening to my talk about their homework. This plan can't address that concern. I wasn't clear what you wanted and I didn't ask for any clarification. That was addressed

121in our last presentation. So, you can go look it up when I'm not around for follow-up questions. We met with the EAB. Spoiler alert, no, they didn't. as witnessed here in November and on the live stream comments last week and listening to the guy from CGCS moderate the meeting last week. Well, that made me incredibly glad that my twins don't like each other enough to help with help each other with the excuses. He started your meeting with a biased premise that if you want to address the problems the future ready plan addresses, then you have to start with the future ready plan. And the conversation just stayed biased toward keeping the plan. Look, I know that kids and employees are different. Before I managed a family, I managed a laboratory. But there are ways in

122which they're comparable. And we elected y'all to be the bosses. Right now, you have an employee who dodges your questions, moves the goalposts on the requests you make, lies about the existence of meetings and data, and straight up refused to consider new options when you told him that you didn't like the direction he was taking with his project. In almost any work setting, now would be the time to talk with HR about placing Dr. Walters on a performance improvement plan to ensure he is operating under your guidance and not undermining your goals. After which he would either get on board with the PIP or he would find a new job. I've come here multiple times to talk about this plan and I know I've often been confrontational, but to be honest right now I'm just

123sick and tired of watching you have your good points ignored. Emma, Devon, Yael, you all ask really good questions and he just doesn't answer them. Stop letting him do that. Stop letting him manipulate the conversation. You all said no to this plan four months ago. There are some good ideas here, but it needs to be stripped down and rebuilt, not brought back, unrevised and still lacking. Thank you very much. Thank you for your testimony. And our next speaker, Elizabeth again, Elizabeth Petard. We're going to move to the next speaker, Stephanie Lein. Again, Stephanie Leing. We're going to move to the next speaker, Ashley Ruth. Um, good evening. I want to begin by acknowledging the intent behind this initiative and the desire to prepare for our district for the future. Uh future ready is a powerful

124phrase, but readiness requires clear data, defined systems, tested infrastructure, and adequate timing. Right now, key components remain undefined, and the students who are most impacted have not been given the clarity in the preparation needed for a smooth transition. Moving forward prematurely risks confusion and academic setbacks rather than progress. I also want to be clear that keeping the magnet programs are imperative. Even if elementary magnets evolve into monastery magnets, elementary magnets are the foundation of our scholars and they must remain. We should not disrupt our students. We have heard from Dr. Walters that magnets were originally created to promote diversity in our city. He additionally stated that our city is segregated by nature. Well, magnet programs are one of the few tools that actively help contract that reality. If diversity was necessary in the past, it

125is absolutely necessary now, especially in the national climate where many families are experiencing racial division and discrimination. If he is acknowledging that our children that most of our children in the city don't experience diversity in their neighborhoods and we eliminate magnet programs, well, where exactly will they experience it? Let's slow down, reassess, aim for a realistic time frame, and protect what works. Please vote no. Thank you all for your time. >> Thank you for your testimony. And our last speaker of this evening is Miss Plet Foster. Hello. I would like to lift up the opening of Langley's Community School's first ever food bank within the district of P of Pittsburgh public school. This opportunity was successfully executed by a langly parent named Shayla Penn alongside with other community members. Shayla traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota with

126members of the GPS along with community school coordinator Lyanna Kraton, nine site coordinators and a principal and a central office staff member to attend the community schools init uh intensive in 2025. Greater public school greater public school coalition is in 2015 wrote policy to initiate the community schools model to take place within the school district. What I find interesting is that districts can show up to photo ops yet does not assist in promoting the community schools uh model all at all. The same photo op took place when PPS district staff with Pioneer specialized K12 school opening of the aquatic pool which again the local task force which is a special education parentled task force was on the committee to make sure COVID money would go to the building of that pool. Yet the LTF was

127not invited to the opening. I share this because the district wants to paint a picture that grassroots organizers are intrusive and instigators. For the past two years and a half, we have been engaging with our community and parents to help them understand this process of school closures. Fact. PPS has held public hearings last summer to check a legal box. PA law requires a public hearing before a school district permanently closes a school. PPA scheduled these hearings in July when families are working, traveling, juggling child care, and not checking district calendars. PPS held the hearings in Oakland and not in neighborhoods where buildings would be closed. The result overall n only 91 people testified for the nine buildings slated to be submitted and the hearings lasted a total of three hours and 37 minutes. for the

128majority of black schools which serve over 900 student and their families. PPS only heard from 40 people for one hour and 57 minutes of testimony. Numbers of speakers Miller 1, Manchester 5, Sax 7, Marl 7, and Fulton 20. Three new board directors, Erica Grayson, Eva, and Tuana were not on the board until after these meetings occurred. New new families who enrolled in this in the nine school but new families who enrolled in nine schools this year have not heard an opportunity to provide input. Fact for many changes the board needs to vote no on these already rejected plans and turn their focus to change that changes that can't implement. Now the reconsideration process is by >> Thank you for your testimony and this will con conclude our evening's uh meeting. I would like to go

129over some of the names so we can ensure that everyone had a chance to speak. Mary Ellen Hamill, Michael Livingston, Sebastian Bard, Phil Porterfield, Tiara Collins, Elizabeth Petard, and Stephanie Lein. And now I will turn this into the hands of Mr. Walker. >> Thank you, Miss Gandandy. Uh and and as always, thank you to those who participated tonight and for your continued engagement in not just this process, but uh in Pittsburgh public schools. Uh and with that, uh we will adjourn this meeting and see you all next week or no, excuse me, Wednesday. Jesus. Have a good night and be safe out there.