How more school closings might impact Columbus
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Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
Neighborhood schools were once the center of community life, but that role is dwindling as public schools shutter across America — and possibly in Columbus as early as next year.
Why it matters: School closings have well-documented impacts on academic outcomes, but more recent research shows they also can lower housing values, raise crime rates and diminish the social fabric of a neighborhood.
- Yet districts can overlook this community value when deciding whether buildings should close, experts tell Axios.
Catch up quick: As Columbus Board of Education members consider closing nine schools, they're also brainstorming more ways to engage with potentially affected communities.
- They're touring all the at-risk facilities in the coming weeks and are planning public events.
- A task force of community members formed in February recommended the list of controversial closings in June.
What they're saying: Izetta Thomas, co-founder of the Columbus Education Justice Coalition advocacy group that pushed back against consolidation talks, tells Axios all affected families, educators and neighbors "deserve to be respected, shared decision-makers in what happens."
- As a Deshler Elementary School intervention specialist, Thomas found out her building was closing in 2010 through the local news. Today it sits vacant — a constant reminder of South Side disinvestment, she says.
- "Buildings are not just buildings; they're community hubs," Thomas says, noting they also host food pantries, clothing drives and more.
The big picture: More than 5,000 public schools closed nationwide from 2017 to 2022, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics.
- Closings are most often driven by budget shortfalls and declining enrollment, as Americans are having fewer children and have more education options than ever.
- The most severe impacts tend to occur in poor, urban neighborhoods, UC Davis Department of Human Ecology associate professor Noli Brazil tells Axios.
Zoom in: In Columbus, officials say resources are spread too thin across under-enrolled schools and that consolidation could offer students more opportunities while saving the district money.
What's next: There is no timeline for final decisions, board president Christina Vera said at a public meeting last week.
- "We're not in a rush just to do something; we're committed to getting it right."
The bottom line: Should local closings happen, Thomas hopes buildings will be repurposed into preschools, adult education centers or other community resources.
- "Who wants to walk past or live across from a place that is supposed to hold hopes and dreams and laughter … but there's no light shining through? No laughter. No joy. Nothing."
Go deeper: American school closures can leave "eyesores" and broken communities