Population growth in the United States has declined since the early 1970s. As a result of the lower birth rate and changing migration patterns, approximately one-third of the school districts in the country have experienced some drop in enrollment. Smaller districts are the hardest hit by enrollment decline, since they are less able to absorb the loss of per-pupil financial support. In addition to the financial impact of lower enrollments, problems arise in staffing, building utilization, and school-community relations. When enrollments drop, some reduction in staff may be necessary; underutilized schools may be forced to close, or alternative uses for free space must be found, and the community must be prepared for the changes in program and attendance boundaries that enrollment decline sometimes necessitates. For those districts not yet faced with an immediate enrollment crisis, long-range planning is absolutely essential to ease the transition from population explosion to decline. Planning must be based on local data, not on state, regional, or national information. Constructive alternatives to reduction in force and school closure are outlined in this report. (DS)