Stanford Study Agrees: School Closures Do Not Save Money
A brand new study coming out of Stanford University confirms (again) what we’ve been saying for years: school closures do not actually save money. In an examination of schools across California, researchers found that entering a closure regime had no positive effect on the districts ability to reduce their deficits or save money. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that when public schools close, enrollment in the district declines. Since California public schools are funded based on enrollment and attendance, districts lose money when enrollment declines. The study emphasizes that cash strapped districts and urban school districts also do not save money from school closures. Instead of closing schools, researchers agree that we should pursue revenue generation measures — particularly in urban school districts like SFUSD.
This study confirms that school closures have no place in SFUSD and are not an effective budget solution. Our district is both urban and cash strapped, falling into the category that researchers highlight as particularly unsuited to closures. That’s why we’re fighting to reform Prop. 13, so we can restore 17 billion dollars every year to California’s public schools and communities.
The Fiscal Consequences of School Closures in California: Evidence from a Statewide Synthetic Difference-in-Differences Design
By Francis Pearman | Stanford University
