I've always said while in BPS that many of these schools are sitting on prime real estate. Think about it - the need for housing is at an all-time high in Boston. Affordable housing is at the top of the list. Boston is losing families to other cities and towns because of its high cost of living. If Boston had more land to build on, they could retain more families in the city. Closing schools would be the perfect answer. Use the data to say the school is underperforming or has low enrollment - or both. Then, shut the school down and sell it to realtors who can turn the schools into apartments and condos. Some of the proposed schools are in great neighborhoods with easy access to public transportation, stores, etc.