Enrollment Declines May Lead to More California School Closures: Report

Widespread enrollment declines and expiring pandemic relief funds are causing public schools across California to face risk of closing, according to a recent analysis by the Brookings Institution in collaboration with The 74 nonprofit news organization. Researchers—who surveyed enrollment in public elementary and middle schools from the 2015-16 school year to the 2021-22 school year—found that enrollment loss worsened during the pandemic among the states’ largest districts. The reasons varied due to location and demographic, according to the report. The report found declining enrollment in areas like Silicon Valley likely reflects the region’s high cost of living and record-low birth rates....