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School Closure Guide: Closing Schools as a Means for Addressing Budgetary Challenges

The Broad Foundation, 2009

This is a guide for school district operators considering school closures to address significant budgetary challenges. Note that this tool was not designed to assist with school closures as part of a periodical closing and opening of schools for academic performance, though a subset of the strategies may still be applicable.

  • Drawing on effective practices and lessons learned from 10 large urban school districts1 that have recently closed schools, this guide provides frameworks, timelines and recommended practices for: Deciding whether to close schools and which schools to close
  • Engaging and communicating with stakeholders
  • Effectively executing school closures

This guide describes first what it takes to go through the school closure process; second, the do’s and don’ts of school closures—some major risks and mitigation strategies other districts have identified; and finally, the detailed steps a district must take to decide upon and conduct school closures.

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