ST. LOUIS — Nearly half of St. Louis public schools are in such poor condition that they will need to be replaced or closed within the next decade, according to a new report.
The average St. Louis public school building is 90 years old. An architecture firm told the school board last night that maintaining all 68 public schools in the city will cost an estimated $1.8 billion by 2044.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the district already has $28 million in immediate needs for plumbing, electrical, roofing, HVAC, and other structural concerns. These estimates do not include the 20 or so vacant school buildings still owned and maintained by SLPS.
The National Center for Education Statistics says most school buildings last 40 to 60 years. Illinois-based Cordogan, Clark, and Associates provided the maintenance cost estimate. The age of these buildings is a significant factor; Adams Elementary, the oldest, dates back to 1878, while the newest schools, Carnahan Middle and Clyde C. Miller High, were built in 2003.
Enrollment in St. Louis public schools has been declining for decades, dropping from a peak of over 115,000 students in 1967 to just 16,542 this year. Many schools are now operating at less than half capacity. Adding to the financial strain, the district is projected to face a $133 million operating deficit in 2025 due to the end of pandemic relief funds. This deficit, coupled with declining enrollment, indicates a need for substantial school closures. The last significant round of closures occurred in 2021 when eight schools were shut down.
The district’s chief operations officer says this report is the first phase of a facility master plan. The second phase, assessing birth rates, population trends, and transportation needs in the city, is expected to be completed by December.
