OKLAHOMA CITY — Amid the largest single-year decline in decades for Oklahoma public school enrollment, the state’s largest district announced the potential closure of 17 schools as it grapples with a long-term trend of decreases.
Tulsa Public Schools last week became the latest district to reveal a closure plan that leaders say is necessary to ensure financial stability. Oklahoma City Public Schools and other large, urban districts across the country have taken similar measures as a result of decreasing enrollment.
But, these losses aren’t unique to big-city schools. An Oklahoma Voice analysis of state records found 65% of districts in the state saw their student count decline last school year, impacting rural, urban and suburban schools…