In Broward County, Florida, the start of this school year brought more than the usual first-day jitters — it came with a sense of urgency. About 10,000 fewer students entered its public schools this year, a 4.7% drop from last year, putting 34 of its schools on a watchlist for risk of closure or consolidation. Broward County isn't alone; public schools nationwide are reckoning with shrinking student bodies as publicly funded vouchers for charter and private schools expand, birthrates fall , the