School Closures and Siting Analysis

Whether your district is looking to build new schools or expand or consolidate existing schools, our team of planners and GIS analysts can help you make decisions that are data-driven, create community buy-in, and meet your long-term needs. 

School Closures

One of the hardest decisions school district leaders will ever have to make is whether to close a school. Schools are the cornerstone of many communities and community members often have deep emotional connections to their neighborhood school. With declining birth rates and increasing rates of school choice, many districts across the country are grappling with whether to consolidate schools. We partner with districts to develop consolidation processes that are tailored to the specific needs of the students, community, and district. 

We believe that centering equity and engaging the community with accessible information are both vital in producing effective solutions that are student-focused and community-supported.

When districts begin working through these processes, they often form a committee to review the data and make recommendations to their board of education. FLO has expertise forming and facilitating these committees and ensuring that committee members have a clear understanding of the District’s student enrollment data, including past trends, current enrollment (including demographics and choice patterns), future enrollment projections, and the current and projected utilization for each school. We work with district leaders and committee members to set clear objectives for the consolidation processes and the criteria that will guide decision-making, ensuring a smooth process. We also work with the District to develop a community engagement plan that fosters trust in the final decision. 

School Expansion

Sometimes the best option for districts that are experiencing enrollment changes is to increase capacity at existing schools. We use enrollment projections that show where students currently live and are projected to live in the next ten years based on residential development, capacity analysis of schools, and special programs offered at schools to help district leaders decide whether school expansion is the most efficacious option. 

New School Siting

Our service helps school districts identify ideal locations for new schools using GIS data and tools. We analyze key factors such as student enrollment forecasts, proximity to other schools, transportation access, land use, parcel size and configuration, and environmental constraints to determine the most suitable sites. This data-driven approach streamlines site selection, balancing future student needs, community accessibility, and environmental considerations to ensure optimal placement and long-term viability for school districts.