U.S. Districts Weigh School Closures as India Extends Breaks

Declining enrollment, falling birth rates and shrinking education funding are pushing U.S. districts to consider school closures; 1,156 schools shut during the last academic year, and enrollment is dropping faster than campuses are closing. Vallejo, California, has closed five schools since 2025 while facing a $36 million deficit, though transportation, staffing and building costs can reduce savings and closures may disrupt students and drive families away. New Orleans has identified thousands of excess seats and will develop a multiyear plan that could include closures or consolidations, with recommendations expected Dec. 9; Evanston-Skokie District 65 in Illinois is considering closing two elementary schools to save nearly $3 million annually amid a roughly $5 million deficit, potentially reassigning more than 700 students. In New York City, officials have proposed closing two Harlem schools and relocating an Upper West Side middle school, with a vote scheduled for Dec. 16. Separately, several Indian states have extended school breaks for Diwali and other festivals, with reopening dates varying by state and school calendar.