St. Louis Public Schools released a draft plan on June 29, 2026, that could close between 15 and 22 of the district's 62 schools by the start of the 2027-28 school year. The plan, called "Future Ready SLPS," is driven by a projected $41 million deficit, a decades-long enrollment decline, and the high cost of maintaining aging buildings.
What the draft plan proposes
The plan lays out three preliminary models. The Traditional model would keep most high schools unchanged and close 15 to 20 schools by streamlining feeder patterns. The Hybrid model would close up to 22 schools. The PK-8 Portfolio model would close 20 to 22 schools and shift more grade configurations to pre-K through eighth grade. District leaders have stated that consolidating schools could save between $20 million and $30 million each year.
The plan also calls for major changes to how students get to school. The transportation budget currently costs between $32 million and $35 million per year and covers more than 200 bus routes. The district is exploring cutting that budget roughly in half, with hub stops at neighborhood schools or community centers. Under the proposal, transportation for students in gifted, career and technical education, or visual and performing arts programs would only be provided if their assigned school is at least four miles from home.
Another component is the phased end of the magnet school system. The district would reintroduce neighborhood schools while keeping gifted school programs. Some magnet schools, including Compton Drew and Busch middle schools, could become neighborhood schools under one of the proposals.
Financial and enrollment pressures
District enrollment has fallen from 43,284 students to 17,981 in 2025, a drop of about 58.5 percent. Projections for the 2026-27 school year show further decline to an estimated 16,723 students, down 1,118 from the end of the 2024-25 school year. The district's own data puts average building utilization at 41.9 percent, compared to 52 percent calculated in a 2011 study. Schools are on average more than 79 years old, and a July 2025 board presentation estimated reserve costs of $1.84 billion through 2044.
The $41 million projected deficit stems in part from decreased state funding after the Missouri legislature did not fully fund the education formula, according to district reports. Delays in Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements after a May 16, 2025 tornado damaged multiple schools and displaced thousands of students in north St. Louis have also strained the budget.
Enrollment trends behind the decline
An analysis by the PRiME Center at Saint Louis University examined public school enrollment in St. Louis City from fall 2020 to fall 2025. It found that SLPS enrollment fell by 16.5 percent, or 3,069 students, during that period. Open magnet schools lost 27.6 percent of their students, or 2,256, while selective magnet enrollment held steady. Charter school enrollment in the city grew by 3.2 percent, adding 378 students.
The analysis concluded that the overall SLPS decline is likely driven by a steady reduction in the school-age population living in the city, not by students moving to charter schools. The researchers estimated that charter transfers account for only 12 percent of the district's enrollment loss.
Community response and timeline
The district scheduled three community meetings in July: July 8 at Vashon High School, July 15 at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, and July 22 at Metro High School. A board work session on July 28 is set to discuss community feedback, followed by an August 11 board meeting to narrow the proposals to one. The final board vote is expected on August 25.
Some parents have pushed back. A petition launched by parents criticized the district's process for being unclear, moving too quickly, and not providing adequate opportunities for community participation. The petition demanded more community meetings at each school proposed for closure and a delay of at least six months in the board's vote. As of July 21, 2026, the petition had 74 signatures.
Schools identified as possible closures include Ames, Ashland, Humboldt, and Meramec Elementary Schools. Sumner and Soldan high schools, which were damaged in the 2025 tornado, remain scheduled to reopen in 2027.
Background of the plan
The draft plan follows an earlier report from the architecture firm Cordogan, Clark and Associates, presented to the SLPS board in July 2025. That report recommended closing 37 of the district's 68 schools at the time and estimated $1.8 billion in maintenance costs over two decades. It did not name specific schools.
The timeline for the current plan's approval runs through the summer, with the board expected to cast a final vote before the start of the 2026-27 school year.