Imagine walking into your school and seeing empty classrooms, fewer teachers, and no more art or music. Or imagine your school closing completely, and having to ride a bus for an hour just to get to class.
This is what can happen when public schools lose too many students — and too much funding.
Let’s talk about why this is happening and what it means for kids, families, and communities in Missouri.
Why Do Schools Close?
Public schools get money based on how many students they have. If students leave to go to private or charter schools — especially when those schools are paid for with public money — the local public school loses funding.
When that happens, schools may have to:
- Combine classes, making them bigger
- Lay off teachers and staff
- Cut programs like music, art, or sports
- Close buildings completely
This isn’t just a problem in big cities. It’s happening in small towns too.
What Happens to Students?
When schools close or shrink, students are the ones who suffer. They may have to:
- Travel farther to get to school
- Learn in crowded classrooms
- Lose favorite teachers or programs
- Feel sad or stressed about leaving their school
Even kids who stay in public schools feel the impact when their school loses money.
Why Is This Happening?
Some lawmakers are pushing “school choice” programs that give public money to private schools. But when students leave public schools, the money goes with them — even though the public school still has to pay for buses, buildings, and teachers.
It’s like taking money out of your piggy bank and giving it to someone else — but you still have to buy the same things.
What Can We Do?
We can protect our schools by:
- Keeping public money in public schools
- Supporting teachers and staff
- Speaking up when schools are at risk of closing
- Asking lawmakers to fund schools fairly
Let’s make sure every child in Missouri has a strong, safe school close to home — with great teachers, small classes, and the programs they love.
Because when we lose a school, we lose more than a building. We lose a part of our community.