Overview
- New state data show public school enrollment fell 1.3%, or 74,961 students, leaving about 5.7 million children in California classrooms.
- Losses were heaviest in Los Angeles County, which shed 32,953 students for 43% of the statewide decline.
- Officials point to fewer births and a steep drop in immigration, which fell from 312,761 to 109,278 between 2024 and 2025.
- Because funding hinges on daily attendance, districts report budget gaps and layoffs, with Los Angeles Unified issuing 3,200 notices expected to yield about 650 job cuts.
- Transitional kindergarten expanded for all 4-year-olds and grew 20.1%, adding roughly 36,000 children that softened the overall decline.