Under COVID-19 restrictions, California public school enrollment has seen a sharp decline according to new data.
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On Monday, the state Department of Education released their 2021-2022 school year data, showing that 110,000 fewer students registered for public school than the 2020-2021 academic year — a 1.8% decline.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment numbers have dropped a staggering 271,000, as parents decide against virtual learning and opt for homeschooling, among other reasons.
The number of K-12 students in California has dipped below six million for the first time in more than 20 years, totaling at 5,892,240. The decline in enrollment is also seen throughout the Bay Area.
Over the next decade, Santa Clara County enrollment is expected to drop by 15%, from 253,625 to 212,501, posing a major challenge for public schools to stay open. Facing a $14 million budget deficit, the Hayward Unified School District has decided to close six schools due to dismal student body numbers. District facilities are able to serve over 28,000 students, but enrollment is projected to drop as low as 16,600 students over the next few years.
California enrollment declines are consistent with national data trends that show enrollment is dropping across the country. These declines began prior to the pandemic and are projected to continue into the future in California, the Department predicted.
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