BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Buffalo Public Schools is looking at more possible closures to cut costs. One school will definitely close by the end of the school year, but the committee making the decision on closing more says choosing the next one won’t be easy.

The Buffalo School Closure Committee has been working to identify which schools they believe should shut their doors. It’s a task that committee member Ed Speidel said is not easy.

“The whole committee cares about the whole city and we’re trying to make a conscious decision,” said Speidel. “Most of us have turned in a list of schools that were on our top 10 and we have a group of schools that we’re starting to talk about.”

At Wednesday’s meeting, the Buffalo Board of Education passed a resolution to close Pathways Academy, an alternative program for high school students who need a virtual learning option to help them get back on track to graduate.

“I think the amount of money they were spending for the number of students they had wasn’t healthy,” said Speidel. “But there does need to be some kind of program like Pathways provided.”

As of right now, no final decisions have been made on which schools will close. Speidel said the group is looking at more than just academics.

“There’s 12 of us in the committee, three are board members, so they won’t have a vote,” said Speidel. “It’s pretty interesting to see how we’re all asking for certain data depending on our backgrounds.”

The committee is reviewing a wide range of data, including special education, neighborhood demographics, transportation, accessibility, and even green space to understand how each school serves its students and families.

“I think we don’t want to upset people without having a very thought-out process,” said Speidel. “I think most families choose where they send their children to school and then they build a relationship with their school environment.”

Closing two schools is part of Superintendent Dr. Pascal Mubenga’s four-year financial plan aimed at reducing the district’s more than $70 million deficit. Speidel said Dr. Mubenga is conscious of everyone’s concerns and he’s trying to make sure whatever choices are made best suit the city of Buffalo.

The committee hopes to submit its recommendations before the Dec. 17 board meeting.

There is also an opportunity for the community to give their recommendations via an eight-question survey. You can find that here.

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Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here.

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