How many schools closed during the Great Depression?

The Great Depression impacted all aspects of American life.  Millions of workers lost their jobs.  This resulted in many people being unable to pay their property taxes.  The lack of property tax income caused schools all over the country to face budget shortfalls.  Schools in rural areas were hit the hardest.  In total, over 20,000 schools were forced to close due to lack of funds.  Most of these schools were in rural areas, and many were segregated schools for African American students.

Some states and school districts did everything in their power to keep schools from closing.  Many teachers saw their salaries cut, and some lost their jobs as more students were crammed into classrooms.  In some areas, cafeterias were closed and cafeteria workers were dismissed.  Extracurricular programs, such as sports, were also cut back.