Arizona School Districts’ Growing Problem with Empty Buildings and Empty school Buses

This issue has been mentioned a few times in recently! And it applies to other states as well.

"Arizona’s district schools are sitting on 78 million square feet of excess space.

That’s enough for more than 630,000 students.

That unused real estate is worth $12.2 billion and costs taxpayers $1 billion every year to maintain."

"Arizona’s district public school system has deep roots, stretching back to its territorial days. For most of its history, this system grew alongside Arizona’s population, fueled by the fact that 80% or more of Arizona’s 6-year-olds went to their local district public school. Arizona school districts built schools, hired teachers, and expanded bus routes, anticipating perpetual growth. By the 2010s, Arizona’s public K–12 system was a sprawling network of thousands of school buildings, vehicles, and people - designed to educate a swelling student body in a state that assumed this would go on forever.

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.

This report exposes the inefficiencies that have taken root. It’s a story of misaligned priorities and outdated systems, where resources pile up unused while student outcomes falter. Capital spending has increased by 67% to $8.9 billion since 2019. Transportation costs have increased by 11.3% to $561.2 million, despite a 45% drop in eligible bus riders. Urban districts have seen a 63% increase in bus miles per rider, while rural and choice students often struggle to access reliable transportation services.  ..."

Arizona School Districts’ Empty Buildings and Empty Buses