As school districts across the country grapple with declining enrollment, Gabriel Huddleston, director of TCU’s Center for Public Education and Community Engagement, shared his expertise with Portland’s KATU about the complicated realities of closing and consolidating schools.
Huddleston explained that while districts may look to “rightsizing” as enrollment declines, closing schools often produces less financial savings than expected.
“The budget savings that usually happen in these right-sizing processes are not very large,” he said. “You're not talking about a huge amount of money that's going to move the needle one way or the other.” His research has found that districts may relocate teachers and other staff rather than eliminate positions, limiting potential savings.
Huddleston emphasized that districts undertaking closures should look beyond finances and prioritize students and communities. He recommended having clear plans for transitioning students, retaining strong teachers, considering equity and involving families and other stakeholders from the beginning.
“You want to engage the stakeholders from the beginning,” he said. “You want to engage the community, the parents, neighbors, all of those different students, teachers.”