Keep Miller Open. Honor Its African-Centered Educational Mission.

PPS’s own handbook records Board approval of Miller as an African-centered school and directs staff to implement an African-centered social studies curriculum. This educational mission deserves continued investment.

We urge the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors to rescind Miller’s permanent closure, keep the academy open at its current Hill District location, and preserve and strengthen a rigorous African-centered curriculum embedded in daily instruction, supported by staff training and instructional resources.

Sign this petition to support Miller’s students, families, and future. Then share it with at least five people.

 

PARENT AND COMMUNITY PETITION

Petition to Keep Pittsburgh Miller
African Centered Academy Open

To the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors

We, the undersigned parents, caregivers, residents, alumni, and community supporters, call upon the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors to rescind the permanent closure of Pittsburgh Miller African-Centered Academy and amend the approved Future-Ready Facilities Plan to keep Miller open at its current location. We request a publicly developed investment and enrollment plan that preserves its African-centered educational model and addresses facilities, staffing, and academic needs.

• Plan for future housing and enrollment needs. Bedford Choice includes more than 800 total housing units, including replacement housing and over 400 additional homes across the redevelopment area. PPS should publish an updated enrollment forecast incorporating occupancy schedules, returning residents, school-age children, and attendance boundaries before permanently removing Miller from the neighborhood.

• Preserve a distinct African-centered educational experience. Miller connects academic instruction with African history and culture, the Nguzo Saba principles, identity, and personal responsibility. Families ask PPS to preserve this established academy, including its curriculum, staff expertise, and daily practices, through continued operation at Miller.

• Coordinate school planning with neighborhood reinvestment. The Hill District needs public education infrastructure that supports current and future families. PPS should work with housing agencies, neighborhood organizations, and residents to make school planning and housing redevelopment support the same long-term community goals.

• Demonstrate the full financial case for closing Miller. Publish a Miller-specific comparison of continued operation and phased repairs against closure costs, including transportation, receiving-school modifications, relocation, and maintaining a vacant building. Districtwide savings alone do not explain the cost or benefit of this individual closure.

• Protect instructional space and family access. Publish a room-by-room receiving-school capacity analysis that protects reasonable class sizes, special education, intervention, preschool, counseling, art, and music. Evaluate future enrollment needs and changes to walking routes, transportation, after-school access, and family participation.

• Evaluate a workable plan to keep Miller open. Partner with families and community organizations on a costed plan for facilities improvements, recruitment, academic support, and measurable progress. Compare that plan publicly with the proposed closure and explain how each option serves students and educational equity.

Requested Board action Place an amendment rescinding Miller's closure on a public meeting agenda, retain Miller at its current location, and provide a written response to this petition with a timetable for developing the investment and enrollment plan.

Public sources for factual background

PPS Future Ready Plan Dashboard: pghschools.org/about/future-ready-dashboard

PPS Miller school profile: pghschools.org/schools/k-5/miller

URA Bedford Dwellings project: ura.org/pages/bedford-dwellings