The closing of a school can be traumatic for parents, educators, students and entire communities, but past research has shown that the outcomes for students are not always negative. A 2015 study by the Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago showed that more than 90% of students whose schools were closed ended up in schools with higher performance ratings. Those who chose not to attend their designated “welcoming schools,” however, sometimes ended up in schools with lower performance ratings. The researchers noted that families also consider multiple factors in choosing another school, not just academic performance, and that many wished they had more information about choices and time to make decisions.
A 2015 New York University study on school closures in New York City showed that the eighth graders who would have attended the schools that were shut down ended up in high schools with higher achievement and attendance than students in a control group. Both studies, however, said more research is needed on how closures affect teachers...