With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
Pandemic Brings Huge Decline In Enrollment At LAUSD
The Los Angeles Unified School District has some 27,000 fewer students enrolled this year than last year, according to new data presented to the district's board of education this week. The enrollment decline is about three times the annual decline seen in years prior to the pandemic.
District leaders were caught off-guard by the steep drop.
“We were predicting that we were going to be about 9,000 students less this year," LAUSD Chief Strategy Officer Veronica Arreguin told board members.
District leaders say they plan to hire community engagement staff and enrollment counselors to help attract and retain students.
Not Alone
LAUSD certainly isn't the only public school district to lose students during the coronavirus pandemic. Other large, urban districts, including San Diego and Long Beach, have also lost large numbers of students during the pandemic.
Statewide, the number of students enrolled in Pre-K-12 non-charter public schools dropped 3.2% this past school year compared to 2019-2020, according to data from the California Department of Education. On the flip side, charter school enrollment increased statewide last year — by 2.3%, albeit a smaller increase than in previous years.
Enrollment at LAUSD has been declining for close to 20 years, thanks to factors including the high cost of living and an aging population. The accelerated decline during the pandemic is bad news for, among other things, the district's finances.
The Impact
"Enrollment drives the budget. You lose kids, you lose money," said Pedro Noguera, dean of USC's Rossier School of Education. Once emergency funding runs out, the loss of students could mean schools have to close.
But at least some of the student exodus could be temporary. Some parents, for example, may have decided to homeschool their kids until the pandemic feels over.
Noguera said it's important to figure out where these kids are, and why they left. "Because some of those parents might come back if they're not satisfied with what they've chosen."
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol.
-
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails.
-
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight.
-
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious.
-
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress.
-
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.