Los Angeles district forecasts dramatic enrollment decline in the next decade

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second-largest public school system, is expecting a significant enrollment decrease over the next decade.

The Associated Press reports that the forecast of an ongoing decline in student numbers was presented during a school board workshop this week.

Enrollment in LA Unified peaked at about 737,000 students two decades ago. Its official 2021-22 enrollment reported to the state of California was 548,388; that number includes charter school enrollment. Not counting most charter school students, the district has about 430,000 K-12th graders.

That number is expected to drop about 3.6% annually to an estimated 309,000 in nine years, according to the presentation.

“Los Angeles Unified is facing an alarming convergence and acceleration of enrollment decline and the expiration of one-time state and federal dollars, as well as ongoing and increasing financial liabilities,” Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.