Why San Antonio public schools are closing — and what comes next | EN Depth
In the past 10 years alone, 45 public schools closed in Bexar County. With enrollment expected to continue declining in area school systems, district leaders project more may be on the way. In San Antonio ISD, district officials have pitched a future plan for the district that would reduce the number of campuses by more than 40%. Northside ISD Superintendent John Craft said closures may be part of a district-wide "optimization plan." Judson ISD school board members voted this semester to close four campuses next academic year. San Antonio is not alone in this pattern — districts across Texas and the rest of the country are facing the same reality. There are many reasons for the closures. Public school enrollment has declined in recent years as school systems deal with a more competitive education landscape, stricter accountability laws and a falling birth rate. Education editor Emily Donaldson talks with reporters Scott Huddleston and Noah Alcala Bach about a series of stories produced by the Express-News delving into the enrollment crisis and how school districts are dealing with the shifting landscape. *Suggested reading:* Why San Antonio public schools are closing — and it’s not just enrollment Charter school growth reshapes San Antonio's largest districts Are birth rate declines to blame for San Antonio school closures? Not entirely. *Stay up to date with the latest education news:* https://www.expressnews.com/newsletters/education-alerts/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
