ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - With the St. Louis region continuing to lose residents, growing the population has been seen as a benchmark for success.
But St. Louis University Demographer Ness Sandoval wants to change the narrative a bit and focus on our children.
"If we can make improvement in quality of life, if we can create increased opportunity for our children, that be more successful than saying 'we're not growing as a region'," said Sandoval on 'The Chris and Amy Show' Thursday.
Sandoval says part of that includes there has to be an acknowledgement that there that there has to be a reimagining of what St. Louis Public Schools looks like.
"There has to be people that are going to come to the table who are transparent, work for the common good of the city and the parents there," said Sandoval.
Dr. Sandoval says Closing schools in areas that no longer have the population to support them can be a sign of success. Building new and quality schools that offer activities for children after school can offer residents a better choice.
Sandoval says numbers don't tell the whole story. While regions like St. Charles are growing, he says its not families with children.
Sandoval notes that says 96% is senior citizens. and that doesn't help our population in a decade.
Sandoval says we have to think about how to create opportunity structures for young adults so they want to stay and raise families.
Currently, the region is in demographic winter, meaning we have more people dying than being born.