Maryland Sees First Drop in Hispanic School Enrollment After Years of Growth

Overview

• The Maryland State Department of Education's June data show Hispanic K–12 enrollment fell 0.6 percent, a drop of more than 1,000 students compared with the prior year.
• The June report also records a statewide loss of more than 11,000 students overall, signaling a broader enrollment decline beyond the Hispanic population.
• Educators and union leaders say fewer Hispanic and multilingual learners are showing up to class and warn of learning loss and greater needs for outreach and services.
• Local officials have linked the change to a reported ICE arrest outside a Southeast Baltimore school in June, while the Department of Homeland Security has rejected that causal link and said ICE does not conduct school arrests.
• The fall interrupts a recent rise that averaged about 4.9 percent annual growth from 2023–2025 and sets up close scrutiny of the end-of-September official count and possible policy responses at the district and state level.