Population Dips, Schools Close

Population loss drives Midwest school closings

The Midwest has lost more than 2,100 public schools in recent years as school districts hammered by population loss scrambled to shift students and save money. From 2006-07 to 2010-11, the region saw a net loss of 2,110 K-12 schools, according to a USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Department of Education data. The rest of the nation had a net gain of 965, largely from growth in the West.