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St. Louis to Close 6 Schools, Eliminate 490 Jobs

St. Louis

In a move that stops short of the more drastic cuts seen in other urban school districts, the St. Louis school system plans to shut down six schools and eliminate nearly 500 jobs to reduce a $58 million budget deficit.

Superintendent Kelvin Adams announced the proposed cuts Thursday night at a meeting of the Special Administrative Board, a three-member panel that has overseen city schools since a 2007 state takeover. The panel still must approve the plan at its April 29 meeting.

Adams' plan would affect 226 teachers, 130 teaching assistants and office workers, 54 administrators and central office workers and 80 long-term substitute teachers. The superintendent said he hopes to avoid layoffs through...