Superintendent says Mount Pleasant High School will remain open

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — The superintendent of Providence Public Schools is setting the record straight about rumors of another school closure.

In a statement, Superintendent Dr. Javier Montañez said Mount Pleasant High School will not close.

He said the district and the state Department of Education have “no plans to close the building, leave the community without a high school, or eliminate greenspace in the surrounding area."

Instead, Montañez said the district will invest in the school to bring it up to 21st century learning standards.

According to a detailed report released by the Providence Public School District, Mount Pleasant High School is in need of $151 million worth of repairs, which is more than more than all other Providence high schools combined.

"As part of a bold plan to transform Providence school buildings, the district has begun studying Mount Pleasant High for future investments and has started engagement sessions to gather input," Montañez said.

Montañez and RIDE were criticized after announcing three other Providence schools will be closing.

State Rep. Enrique Sanchez, who has opposed the school closures and filed a resolution to reverse the decision, said he believes this is part of a greater plan to privatize the school district.

In a tweet, he wrote, “I will say this now with full confidence and not hence my words, there is an attempt by RIDE to do away with our public education system in Providence and privatize the school district. These school closures are not a coincidence.”

Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green previously told NBC 10 News that the schools that are closing are old and would be too costly to fix.

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Meanwhile, the superintendent says the Providence Public School District could get $70 million in state reimbursements to rebuild Mount Pleasant High School.

There will be a community meeting to talk about Mount Pleasant High School's future on March 6.