St. Louis may shutter more than a third of its schools, report warns 

The beleaguered St. Louis Public Schools district is looking to close up to 22 of its 62 schools and revamp its complex transportation system, a draft report concluded.

“The preliminary proposals have not been finalized or voted on by the Board of Education but could bring one of the largest rounds of school closures in the U.S. in recent years,” noted St. Louis Public Radio.

The report, titled “Future Ready SLPS,” acknowledged waning enrollment as “a central factor” in its recommendations.

“Historical PK-12 enrollment data show that Saint Louis Public Schools’ enrollment declined from 43,284 students in 1991 to 17,981 students in 2025, a decrease of 25,303 students, or approximately 58.5%,” the report wrote.

‘School buses or district-provided cab services are unreliable’ 

Meanwhile, administrators must work to close a $41 million deficit for the upcoming academic year as the district waits for federal support after a May 2025 tornado damaged several schools, displacing thousands of students, according to the news outlet.

“The changes could lead to a reduction in long-term substitutes who have been filling in for long-vacant teaching positions as well as in transportation costs – two of the biggest expenditures for the district, according to the SLPS budget presentations.”

While the district spoke highly of its transportation provider, Zum, it also concluded it could no longer afford the $35 million in annual expenses and continue maintaining more than 200 bus routes, the NPR affiliate wrote.

“The district has faced pushback from families over its handling of transportation over the past two years, often claiming that school buses or district-provided cab services are unreliable, especially during inclement weather.”

Proposed changes include providing transportation services to fewer students and encouraging those who live within a mile of their school to walk “if they are able,” according to the news outlet.

Three community sessions will take place to gather feedback on the report’s draft proposals. The first will be from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at Vashon High School.

As previously reported by The Heartlander, the Missouri State Board of Education voted 6-1 in January to downgrade the district’s rating from fully accredited to provisionally accredited.

“Anything we do should have standards,” said board member Kerry Casey, who introduced the motion. “[We] should have high expectations and accountability, and unless we hold our schools accountable, which is our domain, the children of Missouri will suffer.”