How School Closings Take a Toll on Our Children

The announcement of putting up school closing list tomorrow is like a nightmare for children, parents and teachers alike. According to a report published by the National Center for Educations Statistics published in 2016, around 1,737 public elementary and secondary schools closed in the United States during the period 2013-14. Of these, 1,179 were regular schools, 90 were Special Education schools, 20 were vocational and 448 were alternative education schools.

These high numbers are devastating from the perspective of children and their parents. Undoubtedly, closing schools that are leeching federal funding while providing low academic performance is a no brainer and especially when federal funds are in scarcity. However, what is failing to be recognized is the terrible impact it leaves on children enrolled in these schools.

EFFECT ON MINORITY

The reasons for schools to close down generally are underutilization or chronic low academic performance. However, in a research titled “Evaluating the Impact of School Closures in Houston ISD” published by the Education Research Center (ERC) at The University of Texas , it was found that even though Houston ISD has a high poverty rate altogether, schools that were closed were poorer. 91% of students in schools that were closed were economically disadvantaged. Although the total Black student population in Houston ISD is around 27%, the percentage of Black students enrolled in schools that were closing was 43%. This invariably affected Houston’s Black community disproportionately. Moreover, the research also stated that white students from closing school were 51% more likely to be transferred to a higher performing school as compared to 28% of Black and 20% of Hispanic students.

From the above numbers, it is clear that school closings negatively impact students from minority cohorts. Additionally, this kind of treatment unknowingly perpetuates a sense of racial discrimination among children which is difficult to remedy.

EFFECT ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

In a research titled “When Schools Close: Effects on Displaced Students in Chicago Public Schools” published by the Consortium on Chicago Schools, it was found that the largest impact of school closings on students’ academic performance occurred in the year before the schools were closed. After closure, the performances of the students were dependent upon the characteristics of the receiving school. However, the study also found that displaced students of low performing schools were reenrolled in schools that did not fare better academically, which defeats the whole purpose of closure.

In the research “Evaluating the Impact of School Closures in Houston ISD” published by the Education Research Center (ERC), The University of Texas at Austin, it was found that students who were transferred to academically weak schools lagged in reading and mathematics as compared to their non-displaced peers.

EFFECT ON SUMMER SCHOOL ENROLLMENT

Other findings from the “When Schools Close: Effects on Displaced Students in Chicago Public Schools” stated that the enrollment of students from closed schools in Summer Bridge had dropped drastically with only a quarter of students enrolling for summer school. Moreover, the receiving schools which were tasked with providing summer school for displaced students had to wait for several months to obtain the academic report of the displaced students; this resulted in the inability of receiving schools to assign summer school work to displaced students.

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STUDENTS

Well, there are undeniably major social consequences for students when schools close. They have to be uprooted and thrust into a totally new environment where they may feel uncomfortable. Leaving behind friends that they knew, teachers they trusted and a place they felt safe in, displaced students may go through a lot of different emotions due to the closing of their school. A school is known as the second home of a child. It’s a place where he spends the majority of his day growing up and learning about the world. However, with school closures, this home is under the threat of being demolished.

Keeping in mind these facts and figures, it is necessary that we take action against the Armageddon that is “ School Closing List Tomorrow” .