Palm Beach School District Grapples with Enrollment Decline

Immigration, vouchers, and cost of living cited as key factors driving students away

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Palm Beach County School District is facing a significant enrollment decline, with projections showing a loss of over 3,300 students in the 2026-27 school year. District officials attribute the drop to factors like the immigration climate, high cost of living, increased use of private school vouchers, and demographic shifts with more retirees moving to the area without school-age children.

Why it matters

Declining enrollment is a major challenge for the district, as state funding is tied to the number of students. With fewer students but fixed costs like teachers and facilities, the district must now aggressively compete to retain and attract students to maintain funding levels and services.

The details

The district's enrollment has dropped by nearly 7,900 students from the previous year, and projections show an expected loss of another 3,300 students in 2026-27. Superintendent Mike Burke cited several key factors driving the decline, including the immigration climate, Palm Beach's high cost of living, the exploding use of private school vouchers, and demographic shifts with more retirees moving to the area without school-age children.

  • The district's most recent student count in October 2026 showed a nearly 7,900 student decline from the previous year.
  • Projections for the 2026-27 school year indicate an expected loss of another 3,300 students in district-operated and charter schools.

The players

Mike Burke

Superintendent of the Palm Beach County School District.

Heather Frederick

Chief Financial Officer of the Palm Beach County School District.

Rachel Capitano

South Regional Superintendent of the Palm Beach County School District.

Ron DeSantis

Governor of Florida who has supported expanding private school voucher programs.

Florida Legislature

The state legislature that has invested more in alternatives to traditional public schools under Governor DeSantis.

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What they’re saying

“I don't think the trends that are affecting our enrollment are going to go away. Each year is going to get more challenging.”

— Mike Burke, Superintendent (palmbeachpost.com)

“The immigration policies remain a factor, a big factor. We had a steady influx of new families coming in to Palm Beach County. We do not ask anyone their immigration status, but we know if our students need to learn how to speak English, which is going to be a new language for them. Those numbers have plummeted where we were growing by 3,000 to 4,000 students a year. We actually declined this year.”

— Mike Burke, Superintendent (palmbeachpost.com)

“While the south and particularly Florida has grown after the pandemic, when people had the ability to work from home and flocked to warmer climates and enjoyed a better tax situation with no state income tax, the incoming people that are coming to Florida are not bringing school age children with them. We're seeing the silver tsunami. In Palm Beach County, the average age is on the upswing again.”

— Mike Burke, Superintendent (palmbeachpost.com)

What’s next

The district is forming an enrollment growth committee with 10 school principals to develop strategies to recapture enrollment, boosting marketing campaigns, and improving customer service efforts to compete for students.

The takeaway

The Palm Beach County School District's enrollment decline highlights the complex challenges facing large school districts, as factors like immigration, cost of living, private school vouchers, and demographic shifts put pressure on public school enrollment and funding. The district must now find innovative ways to attract and retain students to maintain services and resources.