In early January, the finance and operations committee for the New Haven Board of Education received a report that presented the possibility of closing down multiple schools within the city.
The study, conducted by local architecture firm Svigals + Partners, as well as national architecture firm SLAM, suggested the possibility due to consistently declining enrollment in the public school system.
According to the report, the system has shrunk by 3,100 students in the last eight years. This year, enrollment sits at approximately 19,000 students. The study projects another 1,740 students will be lost by 2031.
As a result, the committee heard suggestions to shut down some schools in the district. The potential of closure comes as many schools in the system face disrepair, ranging from lighter cosmetic work to deep flaws in building functionality.
The report ranked schools by the percentage of seats filled in the school and their condition. Those on the chopping block include Wexler-Grant, Katherine Brennan, Lincoln-Bassett and Clinton Avenue schools.
But the consultants presenting the report also warned that the study didn’t account for community impact.
“What [the report] doesn’t give you — and you’re going to have to address through neighborhood and community meetings — is what effect closing one of these schools would have on a community,” said Jay Brotman, a representative from Svigals + Partners.
“Make sure that you balance where these schools are in the city,” Brotman added.
Superintendent Madeline Negron also bolstered the need for community input throughout the process, and also urged that the time to consider action is now.
“It's been over 30 years since the district went through this process; I know the concerns around facilities keep coming up. There’s more work to be done,” Negron said.
“I want to highlight that this needs to be a comprehensive engagement with our community," she continued. "This work has to be done with community, not to community.”
Similar trends of a decline in enrollment are appearing across the state — in the last decade, Connecticut has lost more than 36,000 students.
