BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Parents of students at Buffalo Public Schools' PS 33 Bilingual Center are raising concerns about a proposal to close the school as part of a broader plan to shut down eight schools beginning in the 2027-28 school year.
Families tell me PS 33 provides more than a place to learn. For some, the bilingual program is an important way for children to learn Spanish while staying connected to their family’s culture.
“Listen to us. We matter too. Our kids matter,” one parent, Yureli Santiago, said.
Santiago, a native Spanish speaker and mother of first grader Danisha, said she chose PS 33 so her daughter could learn Spanish.
“It’s very difficult to understand why they would close the school,” Santiago said. “It’s good to be able to go to school to learn your own language and another language that you don’t know yet and are still learning.”
PS 33 is one of seven Spanish bilingual education programs listed by Buffalo Public Schools.
Santiago also attended PS 33 herself and said she values the teachers and the environment it provides for students.
“I really like this school. It’s very, very good. I went to school here, and I graduated from here,” Santiago said. “The teachers are very kind. They help you become who you are and find yourself.”
Watch: PS 33 parents voice concerns over proposed school closure
The proposed closure is part of a plan announced by Interim Superintendent Dr. Ebony Prophet-Bullock to close eight schools and eliminate 108 full-time positions, including 73 teaching positions.
Prophet-Bullock said the closures are the result of three factors: declining enrollment, the rising cost of operating nearly 60 schools, and the need for adequate staffing.
The district said the proposal would save nearly $24 million annually.
Parents said they are concerned about what closing PS 33 could mean for students who rely on the school’s bilingual education program.
Santiago said she wants her daughter to be comfortable speaking both Spanish and English.
“It is awful to think that it is going to be closed,” Santiago said. “There are a lot of people here trying to learn. She is bilingual too, so I want her to learn Spanish and English. This was a great school.”
Buffalo Public Schools will hold three public meetings for questions and comments from families and community members about the proposed closures.
The first meeting will be held Thursday virtually at 2 p.m. A second meeting is scheduled for October 15 at 5:30 p.m. at Renovation Church. The final meeting will be held on October 20 at 5:30 p.m. at PS 156 Frederick Law Olmsted.
More information about the district’s restructuring plan is available here.
