The forces underlying the public school enrollment drop

Abstract

Recent headlines describing the national drop in public school enrollment suggest that this is a shocking crisis brought on or worsened by the pandemic. However, Abbie Cohen argues that the current enrollment decline should not be a surprise. The underlying causes have festered for decades. Among these causes is the tension between the different purposes of public schools. Those who see schools primarily as a means of social mobility have promoted a variety of school choice initiatives. These efforts have pulled resources out of traditional public schools, making it more difficult to reduce inequality and prepare all young people for participation in a democratic society. The shortcomings of public schools, particularly in urban communities, have fed a growing mistrust of schools, which leads more families to seek other options. These trends put at risk public schools’ ability to serve the public good.