Photo: Mayor Michelle and BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper in 2023. Madison Rodgers/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Public Schools announced a plan to close several schools in Boston to help the district save money.
Under the plan, BPS will close the Excel High School in South Boston and the Dever Elementary School in Dorchester along with turning Mary Lyon Pilot School into a pre-K through sixth-grade school. Community Academy in Dorchester will be shifting its focus to clinical support and offering a transition program for students in need. Several other schools will be merging as well.
BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper said in a virtual press conference that the closures should help the district save between 10 to 20 million dollars that will be used elsewhere in the system.
"I want to be clear that's not for next year's budget," Skipper said. "Our intent is to reinvest some of the dollars that are accrued from the savings because we need to be able to invest to create those high-quality programmatic seats."
The closures, mergers, and reconfigurations are all part of the school committee's long-term plan to address declining school enrollment and decaying school buildings.
"At day's end we're one district and what happens at one school impacts other schools," Skipper said. "This is an opportunity as we've been working for as a district to be that district and to be there for any of the students, families, and staff who are impacted."
City Councilor Ed Flynn represents South Boston and said he's unhappy that many students, teachers, and families found out about the plan through social media and press releases.
"It wasn't handled well," Flynn said. "BPS needs to do a better job of communicating. This was a fumble."
Skipper said the changes will take place at the end of the 2025-26 school year. The School Committee still needs to vote to ratify the plan.
WBZ's Mike Macklin reports.