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4d ago

Protesters Pack Boston School Committee Meeting Over Plan to Close ACC, CASH, Lee Academy and Cut Henderson High Grades

A decisive vote on Dec. 17 will determine whether BPS proceeds with facility downsizing.

Families from Lee Academy, CASH, ACC and Henderson Academy spoke out against a plan to close their schools ahead of a School Committee meeting Wednesday night. (Grace Zokovitch/Boston Herald)
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Overview

  • Students, parents and staff rallied outside BPS headquarters, then filled the School Committee hearing to oppose the proposals, warning of harm to small-school communities and inclusion supports.
  • The plan would close Another Course to College, Community Academy of Science and Health, and Lee Academy, and remove high school grades from the Henderson K–12 Inclusion School, with additional reconfigurations at Tobin and the Russell.
  • District leaders say the changes are needed because enrollment has fallen to 46,824 from about 53,000 in 2019, and their facilities roadmap aims to reduce the building count to roughly 95 by 2030.
  • BPS pledged to work directly with affected students, staff and families and said every student would have a pathway to a high-quality seat if the recommendations are approved.
  • Organizers circulated petitions and planned further demonstrations before the vote, as the district projected one-time savings of about $15–$20 million and news reports estimated roughly 2,300 students could be affected.