With declining U.S. birth rates and shrinking enrollment in districts across the nation, education leaders will increasingly consider closing schools to save money, experts predict.
The $190 billion federal pandemic aid to schools was exhausted this year, setting up a fiscal cliff for districts that spent much of their funds on labor and won’t have enough money in their state and locally funded operating budgets to maintain current staffing levels into the 2025–2026 academic year. If budget gaps still exist after layoffs, school leaders often look to shed other expenses, including underused facilities or under-enrolled schools.
