School closures are accelerating in US, but more financial pain lies ahead

School closures are accelerating across the United States as districts contend with declining birth rates, falling enrollment and reduced education funding. An analysis of federal data by Big Local News at Stanford University found that 1,156 schools closed during the last academic year, the highest total since the pandemic. The closures are forcing students to adjust to new schools, while research suggests enrollment is dropping faster than campuses are shutting.