Uniontown Area School District votes to close 2 schools at end of school year

FAYETTE COUNTY, Pa. — The Uniontown Area School District is closing two schools at the end of this school year.

The board of directors voted to permanently close Franklin Elementary School and Marclay Middle School during a meeting this week.

The motion passed with a vote of 6-3.

A school spokesperson cited Sections 780 and 1311 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code of 1949 regarding the decision.

Section 1311 reads:

“The board of school directors of any school district may, on account of the small number of pupils in attendance, or the condition of the then existing school building, or for the purpose of better gradation and classification, or other reasons, close any one or more of the public schools in its district. Upon such school or schools being closed, the pupils who belong to the same shall be assigned to other schools, or upon cause shown, be permitted to attend schools in other districts.

“Whenever the average term attendance of pupils regularly enrolled at any one-room school in any school district of the fourth class or in any district of the third class, which is located wholly within the boundary lines of a township, is ten (10), or less than ten (10), the board of school directors shall close such school. If the board of school directors does not deem it feasible to close such school, it may present its petition to the Department of Public Instruction, showing the reasons why such school should not be closed. Thereupon the department shall consider such petition, and shall make such order as may seem just in the premises. If any school has been closed because the average term attendance of pupils enrolled was ten (10), or less than ten (10), and has been reopened upon order of the department, and the average term attendance is twelve (12), or more, after such reopening, such school shall be considered re-established. ((b) amended Oct. 21, 1965, P.L.601, No.312)”

Section 780 reads:

“In the event of a permanent closing of a public school or substantially all of a school’s facilities, the board of school directors shall hold a public hearing on the question not less than three (3) months prior to the decision of the board relating to the closing of the school. Notice of the hearing shall be given in a newspaper of general circulation in the school district at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date of such hearings.”

(780 added Apr. 4, 1984, P.L.190, No.38)

In December, Channel 11 reported on students at Franklin Elementary School calling for their school to be saved.

Parents expressed concerns about longer bus rides and larger class sizes.

Franklin Elementary holds just over 100 students. The plan shared in March was to move those students to Menallen Elementary School, putting the school at 101% capacity according to a partial feasibility study done in December of 2025.

After the response from parents, the school board opted to keep the Franklin Elementary School open through the remainder of this school year.

“Due to the realities of time and restraints, certain legal requirements, and ongoing discussions, we feel that we are not in a position to close Franklin School prior to the start of the 2026/2027 school year. We understand what this means to the community, the students, the staff, and everyone else that is a part of it. We believe that there is more that needs to be done and taken into consideration before any actions are taken,” School Board Director Don Rugola said at that time.

In March, parents also said they would “petition the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to redistrict Franklin Township into a closer bordering school district” if it was closed.

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