KDKA Investigators

Pittsburgh Parents Confused By High School Reform

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The Pittsburgh Public Schools District calls it high school reform, but some parents are calling it high school chaos.

Superintendent Mark Roosevelt has mandated sweeping changes to improve grades and graduation rates.

More than one-third of the students are dropping out and of those who remain, half are not proficient in math and 60 percent are not proficient in reading.

But some parents say the proposals have their kids playing musical chairs and they don't know where they're going to land.

To attack the problem of failing high schools, Roosevelt has a basic idea. Rather than students attending the big high school closest to home, he's creating several smaller specialty high schools that anyone can attend.

"The biggest problem we have with our comprehensive high schools now is too many kids are getting lost and you don't see that happening as much in schools of choice," Roosevelt said.

But many parents like Nick Lardis now complain that high school reform is more like high school chaos.

"Where is my kid going to end up? Why is he going to end up there ? What's the program going to be like," he questioned.

Under the plan, Peabody High School would become a robotics and technology magnet. Milliones in the Hill District would become a university prep school in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, and the district will create a 6th through 12th grade International Baccalaureate high school.

The problem is in the fall, some students will be sent to buildings which may or may not be their permanent home.

"I would agree with you this is an awkward time in re-creation of high school in Pittsburgh, greatly exacerbated by what happened at Schenley," Roosevelt said.

Roosevelt says the discovery of asbestos-laden plaster at Schenley High School throws a monkey wrench into the plan. While the district decides the fate of the building, Schenley students will be going to Reizenstein Middle School, which was the likely candidate to become the 6th through 12th high school baccalaureate school.

But Roosevelt now says the cost to renovate Reizenstein has come in much higher than expected. So again - confusion.

"Some people think the move to Reizenstein is temporary. Some think it's permanent," Lardis said.

Roosevelt apologizes for the uncertainty.

"What I do not apologize for is the fact that we are seeking to create high end, high achieving high school options for our kids that we do not currently have.

And for the time being, International Baccalaureate students from Frick Middle School will be spending their 9th grade at Frick until this sorts itself out.

A decision on what to do with Schenley and Reizenstein will be made in the coming weeks.

We'll let you know what the superintendent and the school board decides.

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