Declining enrollment is a big reason behind school closures
Shaw said that while the Policy Forum has not specifically studied school closures, it has closely tracked student enrollment, which has a direct effect on funding.
Enrollment has declined at public school districts every year for more than a decade. That decline has affected a majority of Wisconsin school districts, Shaw said.
Statewide, public school enrollment in the 2014-15 school year was 870,652. By 2024-25, that had dropped to 805,881, according to the Policy Forum, a decline of almost 65,000 students – more than 7% statewide.
The main factor: a decline in the birth rate statewide.
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“Statewide, public school enrollment in the 2014-15 school year was 870,652. By 2024-25, that had dropped to 805,881, according to the Policy Forum, a decline of almost 65,000 students – more than 7% statewide.”