Columbus public school enrollment on the decline

Data: Brookings; Note: Does not include charter schools, virtual schools, alternative schools and adult centers; Chart: Axios Visuals

Declining enrollment is prompting school closures here and in other large cities across the country, new data shows.

Why it matters: State education funding is based on student enrollment, and local property taxes are often levied to make up for lost funding.

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• Broadly, declining enrollment can lead to cuts to staff and programming s a result of lower demand.

Zoom in: Columbus City Schools lost 3,420 students between the 2019-20 and 2022-23 school years, a 7% drop.

• Cleveland's public schools also lost nearly 3,000 students (8%).

The big picture: Public districts across the U.S. lost 3.2% of students during that time frame, Axios' April Rubin reports .

• Bigger drops were recorded in urban districts compared to those in smaller, suburban communities.
• Rural districts' enrollment actually increased 2% in that time span.

State of play: A Brookings Institution analysis released last month found parents have been turned off from traditional public schooling since COVID and are seeking more flexible options, including home schooling and private and charter schools.