The Indicator from Planet Money Why are so many public schools closing?
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Sep 24, 2025 Public schools are closing as enrollment dwindles, forcing tough decisions on communities. A family's search for a good school highlights the issue, while experts explain how economic forces, including falling birth rates and housing challenges, contribute to this trend. Town hall meetings reveal parents' frustrations, as they face the consequences of reduced funding for essential services. The scramble to save schools intensifies amid rising pressures from federal policies and emergency pandemic funding ending.
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Parent Fighting To Save Local School
- Taylor Iogo moved to Atlanta and chose Westmanor Elementary after combing school data for her Black daughter.
- She discovered the district might close Westmanor and joined parents campaigning to save it.
Structural Causes Of Declining Enrollment
- Falling birth rates and housing issues are shrinking student populations in many districts.
- Fewer students reduce per-pupil funding while fixed costs like maintenance remain the same.
Small Enrollment Changes Have Big Effects
- Small drops of five to ten students can push a school past a funding threshold and trigger program cuts.
- Those cuts can start a feedback loop where families leave, causing more reductions and possible closure.