Thousands of public schools at risk of closing as enrollment declines

[KARAH RUCKER]

MARKING THE END OF THE DAY – IT IS THE SOUND SO MANY OF US LOOKED FORWARD TO AT SCHOOL…

BUT DATA SHOWS FEWER KIDS ARE HEARING THAT BELL AS ENROLLMENT ISSUES CONTINUE AND THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE ARE AT RISK OF CLOSING.

IT IS A TREND THAT BEGAN WITH THE PANDEMIC AND CONTINUES TO PERSIST.

ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION – IN 20-23 1-POINT-8 MILLION FEWER STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE COMPARED TO 20-19.

FEWER  STUDENTS, MEANS LESS FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS – AND WITH FEDERAL FUNDING DWINDLING – SCHOOLS ARE CLOSING.

JACKSON MISSISSIPPI HAS SEEN 11 SCHOOLS CLOSE THEIR DOORS – SOME OF WHICH EXPERIENCED A 30-PERCENT DROP IN ENROLLMENT SINCE 20-18.

THAT TREND IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO MISSISSIPPI.

A BROOKINGS INSTITUTE STUDY SHOWING THAT ABOUT ONE IN TEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE U-S SAW MORE THAN A 20-PERCENT DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT – UP FROM 5 PERCENT IN THE YEARS LEADING UP TO THE PANDEMIC.

POINTING TO TROUBLING DAYS AHEAD FOR THE AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

[MARGUERITE ROZA – EDUNOMICS LAB GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY]

“WE ARE EXPECTING MORE SCHOOL CLOSURES IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO AS A RESULT OF THE FEDERAL RELIEF MONEY RUNNING OUT.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

WITH ENROLLMENT THREATENING PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS AMERICA, IT IS NOT THE ONLY CRISIS THEY FACE.

UNLIKE FERRIS BUELER’S LIGHT HEARTED DEPICTION OF PLAYING HOOKY – IT HAS BECOME A GROWING PROBLEM FOR U-S SCHOOLS.

THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS MISSING 10-PERCENT OR MORE OF SCHOOL DAYS NEARLY DOUBLED FROM THE 20-18 – 20-19 SCHOOL YEAR TO 20-21 – 20-22.

FEDERAL DATA ANALYZED BY JOHNS HOPKINS SHOWS NEARLY 30-PERCENT OF STUDENTS NATIONWIDE WERE CHRONICALLY ABSENT FROM SCHOOL DURING THE 20-21 – 20-22 SCHOOL YEAR.

WHICH EQUATES TO MORE THAN 14 MILLION*** STUDENTS MISSING 18 OR MORE SCHOOL DAYS. ONLY ADDING THE PRESSURE PILING UP ON THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

IN CONTRAST – HOMESCHOOLING RATES SKYROCKETED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS SAW AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT AS WELL.

STILL RESEARCHES AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTE SAY, THAT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE TOTAL DROP IN ENROLLMENT AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 

OTHER RESEARCHERS CITE THE DECLINING BIRTHRATE IN THE U-S, AND THE RECORD LEVELS OF MIGRATION OUT OF CITIES AS PLAYING A PART IN THE ENROLLMENT DECLINE.