” a 20 percent drop in students would destroy these school districts”
Why? Most public schools are financed from property tax revenue. The tax revenue is collected whether or not the parent sends children to public school. If 20% of children left the schools in my county tomorrow, the system would still have the same amount of tax money to use. The superintendent would simply lower class sizes or create more administrative positions if there were excess teachers.
I can’t see the county commissioners forcing budget cuts if enrollment dropped by 20% even if some taxpayers demanded it. They are too afraid of teachers unions, community activists, and the local press.
it would not a school district gets X amount of money per child per day he attends. if the child does not attend the money is not given to the school district.
And....Many states the schools budgets are determined according to the number of children who attend daily. This is why in some states truancy is vigorously prosecuted.
There are counties and even whole states where, if Christians and conservatives removed their children, the entire system would utterly collapse. My county and my state is one of them.