Here is why two big districts may face school closures

As leaders finalize plans for the 2026-27 school year, two of the largest school districts in the nation are considering school consolidations to cut spending as enrollment declines.

Last month, the School District of Philadelphia released a nearly $3 billion spending plan that would modernize and maintain school facilities, but calls for closing 20 schools, WPVI Philadelphia reports. It’s part of a long-term strategy to consolidate resources and improve academic offerings, according to the district.

“We’ll be able to use our resources in a more efficient manner to drive more high-quality academic programming,” Superintendent Tony Watlington told the news outlet, adding that the plan follows more than two years of collecting feedback from parents and families.

“We want to do meetings with impacted schools and communities to make sure they understand it and give feedback,” he said.

Of the 20 schools scheduled to close, 12 would be repurposed for district use. The remaining eight will be used by the city for job creation or turned into affordable housing.

Meanwhile, Broward County Public Schools, which was labeled a “disaster” and faces a state takeover threat from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, is closing six schools after losing more than 40,000 students in the past 10 years. That’s the equivalent of more than $30 million in revenue, according to NBC 6 South Florida.

“We’re trying to make sure Broward County Public Schools is sustainable for the future,” Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn said during a board meeting last month. “There are other cost-saving measures, but closing schools is something we have to do.”

Doing so would save the district nearly $8 million a year, Hepburn added. The schools will remain open for district use.

“We continue to have a decline in enrollment, even in this school year, and we are expecting that in future school years also,” Hepburn said. “It’s a tough decision, but it’s the decision we have to make to really ensure the quality of learning opportunities our students receive day in and day out does not change.”

A national trend

Enrollment losses aren’t unique to Broward County and Philadelphia. Between 2020 and 2024, public school enrollment has declined by around 2.5%, or 1.28 million students.

With the federal government pushing for school choice and parents relying on alternative school methods since the pandemic, public school leaders are left to market their programs more aggressively.