Thomasina Clarke has watched school after school close in her once thriving St. Louis neighborhood, which was hit by a tornado this spring and whose population has plummeted in recent decades. “It’s like a hole in the community,” Clarke said. She fears a new round of closure discussions could strip the historically Black community of a storm-damaged high school, whose alumni include Tina Turner and Chuck Berry. St. Louis Public Schools is among the districts nationwide weighing how many urban schools to keep open due to shrinking budgets, the falling birthrate, and a growing school choice movement. A district-commissioned report released this year found that the school system has more than twice the schools it needs. Such decisions are gut-wrenching. It’s a financial strain to operate half-empty schools, but research shows kids often fare badly after closures.
Elsewhere, Philadelphia, Boston, Houston, and Norfolk, Virginia are considering shuttering schools, while public outcry over potential closures has stopped them—in Seattle and San Francisco, for now. From 2019 to 2023, enrollment declined by 20% or more at nearly 1 in 12 public schools—roughly 5,100—according to a report published last year by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Many were chronically low-performing schools in high poverty neighborhoods.
Public school enrollment is projected to tumble 5.5% between 2022 and 2031, primarily due to changing demographics. Federal funds allowed many schools to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite lower enrollment numbers. But now, those under-populated schools represent a problem, with experts suggesting that state and local policymakers must adapt to the new reality as funding challenges loom.
The impact of closures is already evident, as seen in Chicago, which shuttered around 50 schools in 2013—leading to increased fighting and bullying in the new school environments. The situation in St. Louis is precarious, with student populations dropping drastically from 115,543 in 1967 to just 18,122 last year. As neighborhoods face uncertainty, hope persists, with community efforts aimed at revitalizing educational opportunities and maintaining the historical essence of the schools essential for local culture.
Community leaders feel losing schools like Sumner would only deepen the trauma. Despite the challenges, there are efforts to revitalize and preserve the historic school. Community instructor Mack Williams reflects on the resilience of the area, as he recounts student successes and dreams beyond the hardships witnessed. Dakota Scott, a University of Missouri freshman, embodies this hope: 'From being a kid who was skipping class, I was a kid who was literally on time.' The future of St. Louis schools remains uncertain, yet the community’s rich history and ongoing fight for educational integrity indicate a fierce commitment to the resilience and spirit of their neighborhood.
Elsewhere, Philadelphia, Boston, Houston, and Norfolk, Virginia are considering shuttering schools, while public outcry over potential closures has stopped them—in Seattle and San Francisco, for now. From 2019 to 2023, enrollment declined by 20% or more at nearly 1 in 12 public schools—roughly 5,100—according to a report published last year by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Many were chronically low-performing schools in high poverty neighborhoods.
Public school enrollment is projected to tumble 5.5% between 2022 and 2031, primarily due to changing demographics. Federal funds allowed many schools to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite lower enrollment numbers. But now, those under-populated schools represent a problem, with experts suggesting that state and local policymakers must adapt to the new reality as funding challenges loom.
The impact of closures is already evident, as seen in Chicago, which shuttered around 50 schools in 2013—leading to increased fighting and bullying in the new school environments. The situation in St. Louis is precarious, with student populations dropping drastically from 115,543 in 1967 to just 18,122 last year. As neighborhoods face uncertainty, hope persists, with community efforts aimed at revitalizing educational opportunities and maintaining the historical essence of the schools essential for local culture.
Community leaders feel losing schools like Sumner would only deepen the trauma. Despite the challenges, there are efforts to revitalize and preserve the historic school. Community instructor Mack Williams reflects on the resilience of the area, as he recounts student successes and dreams beyond the hardships witnessed. Dakota Scott, a University of Missouri freshman, embodies this hope: 'From being a kid who was skipping class, I was a kid who was literally on time.' The future of St. Louis schools remains uncertain, yet the community’s rich history and ongoing fight for educational integrity indicate a fierce commitment to the resilience and spirit of their neighborhood.
