As enrollment falls, districts mull which schools to close. The decisions have big impacts for kids

As enrollment falls, districts mull which schools to close. The decisions have big impacts for kids 16 mins ago Districts nationwide are weighing how many public schools they can keep open as enrollment drops due to shrinking budgets, the falling national birthrate and a growing school choice movement. The decisions are gut wrenching. It’s a financial strain to operate half-empty school buildings, but research shows kids and neighborhoods don’t always fare well after closures. Major school systems including Philadelphia, Boston, Houston and Norfolk, Virginia, are considering shuttering schools, while a public outcry over potential closures has stopped them — for now — in Seattle and San Francisco.