There is significant evidence on the detrimental impact of closing neighborhood schools:
Well researched findings show:
- Disruption to student learning: Closing neighborhood schools can force students to transfer to different schools, which can lead to disruptions in their education. Students may have to adjust to new teachers, new classmates, and different academic programs, which can be stressful and affect their academic progress.
- Increased transportation costs: When neighborhood schools close, students may have to travel further to get to their new school, which can lead to increased transportation costs for families. This can be particularly burdensome for low-income families, who may not have access to reliable transportation.
- Loss of community cohesion: Neighborhood schools are often a focal point for the community, providing a space for parents to meet and children to socialize. When a neighborhood school closes, it can disrupt this sense of community and make it more difficult for families to connect with one another.
- Negative economic impact: Neighborhood schools can also have a positive economic impact on the community by providing jobs for teachers, support staff, and other school-related industries. When a school closes, these jobs may be lost, which can have a ripple effect on the local economy, including an affect on home prices in the area.
Citations:
- Disruption to student learning:
- Schwartz, H. L., & Stiefel, L. (2018). The impact of school closures on student achievement. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 40(2), 239-262. https://doi.org/10.3102/0162373717730775
- Frankenberg, E., Siegel-Hawley, G., & Wang, J. (2014). Choice without equity: Charter school segregation and the need for civil rights standards. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 22(129). http://dx.doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v22n129.2014
- Increased transportation costs:
- Kucsera, J. V., & Orfield, G. (2014). New York State’s extreme school segregation: Inequality, injustice, and the need for new policy. Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0wj6j20x
- Loss of community cohesion:
- Gronberg, T. J., & Jansen, D. W. (2017). The effects of school closings on students and communities. In T. G. Griffith & J. E. McClure (Eds.), School closures and student achievement: A comprehensive review of the literature (pp. 161-183). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55615-6_8
- Negative economic impact:
- Downey, D. B., & von Hippel, P. T. (2017). School closings, social capital, and political trust: Evidence from a natural experiment. American Journal of Sociology, 122(5), 1545-1583. https://doi.org/10.1086/692812
