New York City's education department proposed on Monday to shut down three schools at the end of the 2015-2016 school year, citing low academic performance, low enrollment and a lack of student demand in the schools.

M.S. 596 Peace Academy, The School for the Urban Environment and Foundations Academy High School, all Brooklyn schools, have limited course and enrichment offerings, high staff turnover and have suffered a loss of per pupil funds because of low enrollment. Peace Academy, for instance, was the city's lowest enrolled middle school in the city last year, with just 47 students, education officials said. 

“Closing a school is always a difficult decision," said Chancellor Carmen Fariña in a statement. "I am committed to holding all our schools accountable to meeting the needs of our students. Schools with such a low enrollment cannot provide the robust education our students deserve."

Though Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration maintained that it was keeping "all options on the table" for struggling schools, including closing them, the de Blasio approach thus far was to increase funds and nurture low-performing schools through his school renewal or community schools programs.

The city committed more than $400 million to support these schools and other schools deemed "persistently failing" by the state. Two of the schools proposed for closure, Peace Academy and Foundations Academy, were part of the mayor's school renewal program.

But all three schools have dismal academic statistics, keeping prospective students at bay.

Foundations Academy had a 32 percent on-time graduation rate last school year, less than half the citywide rate of 70 percent. Just two eighth-graders listed Foundations Academy as their first choice this year during the high school application process.

The city will hold a town hall meeting at each school ahead of the winter break: 

• Peace Academy — Thursday, Dec. 17 at 6:00 p.m. 
• Urban Environment — Friday, Dec. 18 at 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. 
• Foundations Academy — Monday, Dec. 21 at 6:00 p.m.

The schools would not phase out, but will instead close at the end of this school year. Education officials said they would work with families to identify an alternate school for next year. 

The city's Panel for Educational Policy, which must approve the closures, is likely to consider the proposal in February.