The most dramatic reflection of these economic changes is a decline in the population, specifically the population of young people and families. When there are fewer families, fewer schools are required. In most cases, rural schools close due to financial pressures, but in some cases it is simply that there aren’t enough students. The City Auditor of Regan, North Dakota, explained, “17 students, 4 teachers, and a cook, it didn’t make any sense.” A school, once a dependable community institution, when closed becomes a powerful descriptor of a community’s prospects.