- News Analysis -
Just as public schools across the U.S. are fully reopening their doors, huge percentages of students are not returning to class.
The consequences of this massive drop in enrollment include significant budgetary difficulties for major schools across the U.S.
According to an analysis by New American magazine, a school in Houston lost more than 11,000 students in 2022, forcing a budget cut of $60 million from next year’s budget.
In Minneapolis, the school district lost more than 4,000 students, causing a budgetary deficit of $27 million. A public school in Des Moines lost only 1,600 students. While still a significant number, this hardly seemed to justify the collective school deficit of $9 million.
Why Are Kids Leaving Schools?
Many analysts have attributed the lack in public school attendance to pandemic-related fears, but this is likely only part of the cause.
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An increase in public awareness over woke indoctrination within public school systems has led to massive revolts by parents and activists across the nation, and consequently, a significant increase in homeschooling.
One interesting statistic, originally reported on by the New American, showed that the one exception to this trend is Florida, where school enrollment is up across the state.
This is largely due to state policies barring social and political indoctrination in classrooms and encouraging parent involvement in some school decisions. Many of these policies have recently been enacted by Republican and right-leaning state representatives.
Budget Increases Designed to Fight the Effects of Inflation Met With Harsh Opposition
The major lack in enrollment and massive budgetary deficits haven’t stopped schools from requesting an increase in their budget, however, with many schools requesting more capital from federal and state governments to compensate for staff wage increases.
The supposed need to increase teachers’ and school staff’s salaries comes as inflation remains at a 50-year high.
Though there is some support for budget increases coming from families closely associated with local public schools, requests for budget increases haven’t gone unchallenged.
One school district in rural Sparta WI requested a $4.3 million budget increase for the 2022-2023 school year. The proposed budget increase was widely opposed by residents and was met with harsh opposition from right-leaning activist groups, who successfully stopped the budget hike.
According to an independent analysis of the situation by The Portland Post, many residents in the Sparta area (surveyed) opposed the increase in spending, simply saying that “teachers were paid enough.”
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Al K. Scott, Sam Morris
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