Philadelphia public schools are losing students

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

Philly and other large U.S. cities are grappling with too many underpopulated schools , forcing difficult decisions on closures.

Why it matters: Most states allocate school funding based on student populations, so declining student bodies can result in cuts for classes, extracurriculars and sports.

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By the numbers: Philadelphia public schools lost more than 12,000 students from the 2019 to 2022 academic years.

• The 9.5% drop mirrors enrollment decreases in recent years across public school districts in Los Angeles, San Antonio, Chicago and New York City, per the Wall Street Journal .

State of play: Enrollment at public schools in urban areas dropped more than 5% over the same period, per the Brookings Institution. That amounted to more than 84,000 students.

• Over the same time, the number of urban schools decreased by 0.3%, or 68 schools.
• Declining enrollment, low performance, budget deficits and old buildings can lead to school closures, per REACH (the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice).
• Schools with more students of color and higher poverty levels have been more likely to close.

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