Chalkbeat | Kalyn Belsha, Gabrielle LaMarr LeMee, Larry Fenn, & Annie Ma
“Officials estimate that enrollment will drop by 6% in the coming years — a rate nearly double what was predicted before the pandemic. Declining birth rates and rising housing prices that drive families away are big factors… Kindergarten applications are down considerably for the upcoming school year.”
Enrollment of children from preschool through grade 12 dropped by 2.6% across 41 states last fall. Public school districts are working hard to build trust with families who are concerned about in-person learning. School officials are even coordinating home visits and phone calls to families that left or did not enroll their child in preschool or kindergarten.
