Instead of bewailing enrollment decline, school districts should focus on student success, analysts say 

Four school districts across the nation have led the way in prioritizing student outcomes over declining enrollment – and more should follow their example, a report by The 74 concludes.

“Rather than hoping districts will get it right on their own, states can establish a clear model for maximizing students’ access to higher-performing schools and higher-quality facilities, while providing families with the resources and programming they are demanding,” the nonprofit news organization wrote Oct. 22.

Improving educational services is becoming more urgent as public school attendance continues to fall nationwide.

Blue, Democrat-led states tend to experience steeper enrollment declines than red, Republican-led states, according to research from ExcelinEd.

The four districts highlighted in the report – Cleveland Metropolitan School District in Ohio, Lafayette Parish School System in Louisiana, and Aldine and Killeen independent school districts in Texas – are all in red states.

“Declining enrollment may be unavoidable in many communities,” The 74 concluded. “The actions of leaders in places like Aldine, Cleveland, Killeen and Lafayette show that declining educational opportunity doesn’t have to be.”

A three-step model for states

The report recommends a three-step strategy for state education agencies: designing strong performance and accountability systems, vetting technical assistance providers and helping offset costs, and politically supporting local education leaders as they make difficult but responsible decisions, such as closing schools.

“Consolidating underutilized buildings can cut spending on facilities upkeep by millions of dollars, reduce the need for uncertified teachers and unlock resources for the specialized programming families want,” researchers wrote, citing Houston-based Aldine Independent School District.

After losing more than 10,000 students over 12 years, the district decided to close 14 schools in a three-year span.

The closures saved millions of dollars in maintenance and staffing costs. Students from the closed schools also posted higher reading scores on state exams, The 74 reported.

Teacher shortages did not materialize, as educators from the closed schools chose to remain in the district.

“A project manager in the central office position organized the closures, communicated new school assignments to families well before the end of the school year and helped teachers and principals find new placements,” journalists wrote, describing the district’s communications and procedures.

In Ohio, Cleveland’s district closed 29 schools at the end of the 2025-26 academic year and sent more than 96% of those students to “better- or equally performing campuses.”

The move expanded sports programs, higher education opportunities and electives for students.

Outside organizations can also help districts navigate such transitions. Killeen Independent School District, for example, hired “a proven turnaround partner” to operate one of its middle schools while it closed other facilities, The 74 reported.

The Lafayette Parish School System in Louisiana saw similar benefits after expanding its pre-K, fine arts and STEM offerings following several school closures.

The district now ranks among the state’s top performers for daily attendance and low chronic absenteeism.

“These numbers reflect the commitment of people across our district who understand that attendance is about much more than taking roll,” LPSS Superintendent Francis Touchet Jr. told the local CBS affiliate. “It’s about working with our families and offering consistent support to our school staff to move the needle in a positive direction where attendance is concerned.”

School districts across the nation are facing enrollment declines, thanks largely to a drop in the U.S. birth rate. Some districts are closing schools while others, notably Chicago, maintain half-empty buildings. The city’s moratorium on closing schools, passed after it shuttered 50 buildings in 2013, expires in 2027.