Michigan's rural schools are shrinking, but remain critical for communities

(Detroit Free Press) The high school bands are quieter. Advanced Placement classes might be harder to come by. And in many rural school buildings across Michigan, hallways simply don't have as many students.

The number of students enrolled Michigan's rural public schools has declined by 11% in the past decade, according to an analysis of school enrollment by the Detroit Free Press. Overall, Michigan public school PK-12 enrollment has declined by 9% between the 2013-14 and 2023-24 school years, according to state data.

Rural school leaders and parents said shrinking schools mirror shrinking communities, following a longtime national trend of rural population decline and a decline in birth rates.

"For most of rural Michigan as a whole, it's losing population, it's getting older, and it's getting poorer and and so it's falling behind," said David Arsen, a professor of education at Michigan State University. Arsen and a team of researchers published a report in 2022 examining the challenges and funding gaps faced by the state's rural public schools. And as rural students miss out on opportunities other young Michiganders can access, communities suffer economically, Arsen said. .................(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2024/08/27/michigan-rural-schools-shrinking-state-help/74901197007/