The Future Is Smaller: What New Orleans Learned Before America Had To

society, culture, education · EN

Across America, fewer children are entering public schools. Birth rates are falling, families are shrinking, and communities that once planned for continued growth are confronting a very different future: fewer students, tighter budgets, and more school buildings than they can afford to operate. New Orleans faced this reality earlier than many cities. The Future Is Smaller: What New Orleans Learned Before America Had To examines what the city’s experience can teach communities now grappling with declining enrollment and profound demographic change. Through original reporting, data, and conversations with families, educators, policy experts, civic leaders, and community members in New Orleans and across the country, the podcast explores some of the most consequential—and emotionally charged—decisions facing public education. What happens when a city no longer has enough children to sustain all of its schools? Which schools merge or close, and who ge