Overview
- New state data show K–12 enrollment fell 1.3% statewide — about 75,000 students — the biggest yearly drop since the pandemic, with all 39 reporting states also down this year.
- Los Angeles County lost 32,953 students, or 2.6%, and L.A. Unified declined by 16,765 students, or 4.5%, a sharper slide than the state as a whole.
- Enrollment also fell in private schools by 6.6%, in homeschooling by 3.7%, and in charter schools by 0.3%, while district-run schools dropped 1.4%.
- Officials and researchers point to fewer births, moves to lower-cost areas like Elk Grove and Vacaville, high housing costs, and stricter immigration enforcement, with federal data showing immigration to California fell from 312,761 to 109,278 year over year.
- Fewer students mean less state revenue because funding is tied to average daily attendance, leading districts to weigh layoffs, program cuts, and closures, as L.A. Unified recently rescinded about 200 layoffs after issuing thousands of notices.