This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, March 10, 2009 - Where have all the schoolchildren gone, long time passing? Where have all the schoolhouses gone, long time ago?
In the city of St. Louis, demographic changes and a continuing trek to the suburbs by middle class families have resulted in fewer children enrolled in public schools.
The number of students in the Voluntary Transfer Program has also dropped considerably. Further, the number of students in archdiocesan schools has dropped over the past decade. On the other hand, students enrolled in charter schools in the city have increased at a fast clip.
- In the year 2000, 50,926 students were in the city public schools, 12,978 were in the voluntary transfer program and 10,675 were in Catholic schools.
- By 2004, 42,141 were in the noncharter city schools, 10,093 were in the transfer program, 9,071 were in the Catholic schools and 3,635 were in charter schools.
- Last year, the city noncharter public schools had 32,694 students, 6,912 were in the transfer program, 7,703 were in the Catholic system and 7,726 were in charters.
The total number of students declined to 55,035 in 2008 from 74,579 in 2000, which has left the St. Louis Public Schools with a set of hard choices.
The city has lost 20,000 school age children; the St. Louis Public Schools have lost almost that many. With a critical need to reduce expenditures, the city board of education had to reduce the building inventory, many of which were open with much less than capacity.
A few days ago, the city school superintendent recommended the closure of 17 schools. This decision was almost greeted with relief: A consulting firm had proposed closing 29.
The major question confronting the state-appointed oversight board, as well as residents living by schools to be closed, is what to do with the buildings. The likelihood that the city system will need these schools in the near future is slim. The most logical use would be acquisition by a charter or private school. Yet, the state board wants to restrict deeds so that such schools could not be sold to private or charter schools.
So, what options exist for reusing these buildings?
In more economically robust times, a strong possibility would be redevelopment as loft apartments. Several school buildings in the area have successfully undergone such conversion. However, that solution may be a ways off because of the tanked U.S. economy and the difficulty in obtaining credit now.
For buildings designed by William Ittner and others of historic architectural import, such reuse would be idea. Housing for senior citizens might be able to get funding by the state or the federal government.
But if such redevelopment is unlikely, what can become of these buildings? No one would or should want them to sit boarded up indefinitely, blighting the environs. Besides, the public school system would still have to bear maintenance and security costs for the buildings.
At least one neighborhood would like a soon-to-be-vacated school to become a community center, home to the neighborhood organization, with ample room for many activities. The Des Peres School in Skinker DeBaliviere has been home to the Big Picture program for elementary students for two years. It is a relatively small facility and many residents have long felt the building would be an ideal center. Of course, anyone taking on one of these buildings must consider the cost and long term feasibility, but such usage would answer a dream long deferred.
One of the significant objections to the school closings is that they remove anchors from the neighborhood. This would make them the core of the neighborhood.
Although rarely has a St. Louis Public School been used to house programs from outside agencies, 14 community education centers remain open into the evening and offer classes and activities. And other neighborhoods might entertain the idea of a community center if there were funding.
The last possibility precludes any other: razing the vacant buildings. This would leave empty space in 17 locations and would raise the ire of many preservationists.
Perhaps a way could be found for neighborhoods to use the facilities on a temporary basis until the economy turns and developers show interest in them for housing. Of course, another way out of the conundrum would be to rescind the ban on resale to nonpublic schools. There may only be a couple takers, but that would be better than 17 idle buildings in the inventory.
When will they ever learn?
Lana Stein is a professor emerita of political science at the University of Missouri at St. Louis. She is coauthor of "City Schools and City Politics: Institutions and Leadership in Pittsburgh, Boston and St. Louis" (1999).