Jun 12, 2024 - Education
Philadelphia's declining public school population
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Philly and other large U.S. cities are grappling with too many underpopulated schools, forcing difficult decisions on closures.
Why it matters: Most states allocate school funding based on student populations, so declining student bodies can result in cuts for classes, extracurriculars and sports.
By the numbers: Philadelphia public schools lost more than 12,000 students from the 2019 to 2022 academic years.
- The 9.5% drop mirrors enrollment decreases in recent years across public school districts in Los Angeles, San Antonio, Chicago and New York City, per the Wall Street Journal.
State of play: Enrollment at public schools in urban areas dropped more than 5% over the same period, per the Brookings Institution. That amounted to more than 84,000 students.
- Over the same time, the number of urban schools decreased by 0.3%, or 68 schools.
- Declining enrollment, low performance, budget deficits and old buildings can lead to school closures, per REACH (the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice).
- Schools with more students of color and higher poverty levels have been more likely to close.