Arizona School Districts’ Empty public school Buildings and Empty Buses due to declining school age population and private schools

Demography is destiny! What a dramatic change in school age population attending public schools!

"... But the tide has turned. Since 2008, district school enrollment has steadily declined, and the decline is accelerating.

Enrollment dropped another 5% since 2019 alone – in contrast to the growth mindset that once defined the system. Meanwhile, educational choice has reshaped the landscape: 40% of incoming kindergarteners now opt for charter or private schools, despite smaller facilities, leaner staffs, and a lack of formal transportation options. Despite this shift, district schools have doubled down on expansion, adding 499 new buildings and boosting gross square footage by 3% in just the last five years. Today, Arizona’s public district schools have 78 million square feet of ‘excess’ space. ..."

There are similar trends in other US states too. What about other Western countries?

Arizona School Districts’ Empty Buildings and Empty Buses