The Financial and Enrollment Costs of School Shootings

(From Education Week) The financial impacts of mass shootings on the affected communities linger long after widespread media and public attention has faded, according to researchers at at George Washington University. In a study of spending and enrollment trends for schools that experienced school shootings between 1999 and 2018, researchers found that schools where shootings occurred tend to lose students from wealthier families to other districts at a faster rate (12%)  within five years than they lose lower-income students, and at a faster rate than in comparable districts where no shooting took place. The same trends applied to private schools where shootings took place. The researchers say these findings should inspire even larger and longer-term financial investment in support systems that help communities recover from the devastating impact of school shootings. 

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