Overview

OFA is concerned about the impact school closures have on our children, our families and our communities. Schools provide so much more than a place for learning – they are home to community social events, local sports, and service and community groups.

When you close a rural school, you close off the opportunities for the entire community. Rural communities suffer when youth and families leave to go after opportunities in urban areas. Rural schools are central to the health and well-being of communities, and they are a vital social infrastructure that supports rural economic development.

OFA Position

OFA believes that significant consideration should be given to the effect of rural school closures given the impact it would have the students and the entire community.

While OFA acknowledges that the economic saving associated with school closures, there could be significant social costs from closing rural schools. Therefore, OFA asks school boards to carefully consider the impacts before deciding to close a school, including:

• Impact on students’ education and ability to participate in extra-curricular activities
  • The increased travelling time to attend a larger school could have implications on the students’ health, academic performance, and overall development.  The student may be too tired to concentrate on his or her lessons because of having to catch the bus so early.  In addition, some students will be required to quit after-school teams and activities because of the long commute.
• Impact on local businesses
  • Local businesses also suffer from having students removed from the community.  There could be a decrease in spending at local stores and restaurants by students and their families.
  • Loss of student employment due to students no longer being available for after-school employment at local businesses.
• Impact on the community
  • Rural school buildings are often multi-use community spaces. The closure of these buildings would lead to the loss of an important community gathering space.

OFA believes the government should recognize that rural schools have unique needs and bring immense value to their students and community, such as smaller classroom sizes and a higher per-pupil cost for goods and services.