California Schools See Steepest Enrollment Drops in LA County

LAUSD and LA County account for nearly half of the state's overall enrollment decline

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:43pm

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An extremely abstracted, out-of-focus photograph in soft, warm tones depicting the interior of an empty school, with blurred shapes of desks, chairs, and lockers conveying a sense of melancholy and transition as enrollment declines.As California schools grapple with steep enrollment drops, the hallways of once-bustling campuses now echo with the silence of declining student populations.Los Angeles Today

California's public school enrollment has dropped by 1.3% statewide, with Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) seeing the steepest declines. LA County accounts for 44% of the state's enrollment drop, with LAUSD alone responsible for 22.4% of the statewide decrease. Factors contributing to the decline include falling birth rates, high housing costs, changes in immigration patterns, and the impact of federal immigration enforcement policies.

Why it matters

The significant enrollment drops in LA County and LAUSD reflect broader demographic shifts impacting school systems across California and the nation. As enrollment declines, school districts will face difficult decisions around closing schools and reducing staff, which can be disruptive for local communities. Understanding the causes behind the enrollment drops, such as declining birth rates and housing affordability, is crucial for districts to proactively manage these challenges.

The details

Over the last year, enrollment in LA County public schools decreased by 32,953 students, or 2.6%, to 1,242,816 students. This drop alone would be equivalent to the entire Moreno Valley Unified School District disappearing. For LAUSD specifically, enrollment declined by 16,765 students, or 4.5%. Statewide, enrollment dropped by 1.3%, about 75,000 students, with all 39 states that have reported data so far seeing decreases. Factors contributing to the decline include falling birth rates, high housing costs that are driving families out of urban areas, changes in immigration patterns, and the impact of federal immigration enforcement policies.

  • For the 2025-26 academic year, LA County public school enrollment decreased from the prior year.
  • Over the last year, LAUSD enrollment declined by 4.5%.

The players

Elizabeth Sanders

A spokesperson for the California Department of Education.

Thomas J. Kane

Director of the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard.

Thomas S. Dee

A professor at Stanford University who has found that immigration enforcement reduces school enrollment.

Bruce Fuller

An education professor at UC Berkeley who noted the recent decline in private school enrollment.

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What they’re saying

“Declining school enrollment in California reflects the national trend.”

— Elizabeth Sanders, Spokesperson, California Department of Education

“Declining birth rates inevitably mean declining enrollment. The size of the decline should be manageable — but only if schools adjust their plans now, rather than wait.”

— Thomas J. Kane, Director, Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard

“It's quite possible that some of this decline is driven by the increased scale and intensity of immigration enforcement. I've found in prior research that immigration enforcement reduces enrollment by causing some to flee and deterring newcomers.”

— Thomas S. Dee, Professor, Stanford University

“Fewer parents appear able to afford private schools.”

— Bruce Fuller, Professor, UC Berkeley

What’s next

School districts will need to carefully manage the enrollment declines by adjusting staffing levels and potentially closing underutilized campuses, while also addressing the underlying factors driving the drops such as housing affordability and immigration enforcement.

The takeaway

The steep enrollment declines in LA County and LAUSD reflect broader demographic shifts impacting school systems across California and the nation. As districts navigate these challenges, they must balance the needs of their communities with the fiscal realities of declining student populations.