What Will Districts Do With All Those Empty School Buildings?

Some Look to Fill Them With Younger Kids

EdSurge Articles by Emily Tate Sullivan

Mar 17, 2025

Here is a 600-word summary for educators of the article "What Will Districts Do With All Those Empty School Buildings? Some Look to Fill Them With Younger Kids" by Emily Tate Sullivan, published on March 17, 2025, in EdSurge.

Source: Emily Tate Sullivan, EdSurge, March 17, 2025. Original Article

Introduction: Addressing Empty School Buildings

As school districts across the United States face declining student enrollment due to factors such as lower birth rates, increasing homeschooling, and the growth of virtual and private schooling, many have been forced to close and consolidate schools. This shift has left numerous empty school buildings, presenting challenges and opportunities for district leaders. One emerging solution is the conversion of these vacant schools into early childhood education centers, benefiting both the districts and communities they serve.

Repurposing Schools for Early Learning

Rather than allowing empty buildings to deteriorate, many districts have transformed them into early learning centers. These buildings often have spacious classrooms, parking lots, and educational zoning, making them well-suited for young learners.

According to Aaron Loewenberg, a senior policy analyst at the Education Policy Program at New America, these conversions can be a win-win situation:

• School districts generate revenue by leasing space to early learning providers.
• Early childhood programs gain much-needed classroom space in areas with child care shortages.
• Families benefit from increased access to affordable, high-quality preschool programs.

The transition from K-12 schools to early learning centers, however, requires renovations to ensure that classrooms and facilities are developmentally appropriate.

Examples of Early Learning Conversions

Oklahoma City Public Schools offers a successful example of this model. In 2019, the district closed several schools and later converted two into early childhood centers:

• Gatewood Early Learning Center opened in 2021, primarily serving children of district staff.
• Pierce Elementary was leased to Sunbeam Family Services, a nonprofit that renovated the space to create 14 early childhood classrooms. Sunbeam later expanded to a second vacant school, adding 12 more classrooms.

The Tucson Unified School District in Arizona followed a similar path in 2014, converting two closed elementary schools into infant and early learning centers. These schools now provide high-quality preschool experiences that prepare students for kindergarten.

Challenges in Conversion

While repurposing empty schools is cost-effective compared to new construction, it still presents logistical and financial hurdles:

1. Infrastructure Upgrades

   • Schools originally built for older students require bathroom renovations to accommodate toddlers and preschoolers.
   • Playgrounds need to be redesigned with age-appropriate equipment.
   • Classroom furniture must be adjusted for younger children.

2. High Renovation Costs

   • Sunbeam Family Services spent $2.2 million to renovate one of its converted elementary schools.
   • Oklahoma City spent $150,000 to update Gatewood Early Learning Center.
   • Outfitting a single high-quality early learning classroom costs around $25,000.

3. Staffing Shortages

   • Finding qualified early childhood educators is a persistent challenge.
   • Low wages in the early childhood sector make recruitment difficult.
   • Some districts offer better salaries and benefits to attract educators, making district-run programs more competitive than private providers.

Benefits of District-Operated Early Learning Centers

Despite the challenges, these converted early learning centers offer significant benefits:

• Higher-Quality Early Education

  • Research shows that high-quality preschool improves kindergarten readiness and long-term academic success.
  • Teachers report that students from these programs enter kindergarten better prepared than their peers.

• Stronger Family and Community Engagement

  • District-run preschools help families feel connected to the local school system early.
  • In Tucson Unified, 80-90% of families with children in district preschool enroll in district elementary schools, improving student retention.

• Better Support for District Staff

  • Providing on-site child care helps retain teachers and staff.
  • Schools like Gatewood prioritize enrollment for teachers’ children, offering them an affordable and convenient child care option.

Future Trends: More Conversions to Come

As student enrollment declines continue, more districts are expected to explore similar conversions. Experts like Aaron Loewenberg believe that early childhood centers in repurposed schools will become more common, especially as states expand public preschool funding.

With proper planning and investment, these converted schools can serve a new generation of learners, ensuring that school buildings remain valuable community assets rather than vacant properties.

Conclusion

Repurposing empty schools into early learning centers presents a strategic and beneficial solution for school districts facing declining enrollment. While renovation costs and staffing shortages pose challenges, the benefits—increased access to quality preschool, better support for families, and stronger school district engagement—make this a promising model.

As more districts consider these transformations, the trend is likely to grow, shaping the future of early childhood education in public school systems.

This summary captures the key insights from the article while maintaining the original detailed URL citation for reference: Emily Tate Sullivan, EdSurge, March 17, 2025. Original Article.

Original Article

------------------------------

Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com