Many US adults are skipping parenting or having fewer kids – and it’s forcing schools to close
Mar 16, 2026
As the US birthrate has declined dramatically, schools are becoming emptier and districts are getting less public fundingAt a February board meeting for Memphis-Shelby county schools in Tennessee, a parent of five children who currently or formerly attended Ida B Wells Academy, an alternative educat
ion school, asked board members a question.“This is a high performing school. This is not a school in crisis,” she said. “So I respectfully ask, why are we considering closing a school that is working?” Continue reading... ...read more read less