Bay Area school enrollment continues to drop

Published: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 10:52 pm

**Bay Area School Enrollment Continues to Decline, Though Rate Slows**

Bay Area schools are still grappling with declining enrollment, mirroring a statewide trend, according to recent data released by the California Department of Education. While the rate of decline is slowing compared to the early pandemic years, the overall picture reveals fewer students in classrooms across the region and the state.

California now has approximately 5.8 million students in transitional kindergarten through 12th grade, a nearly 7% drop from a decade ago. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond noted the encouraging trend of a slowing decline, particularly highlighting the growth in transitional kindergarten programs.

Santa Clara County is experiencing the most significant enrollment drops in the Bay Area, losing between 1% and 2% of students annually over the past three years. This decline has been a persistent issue, predating the pandemic, with the county losing over 16% of its student population since the 2014-15 school year. San Mateo County has also seen a substantial decrease, with nearly 12% fewer students compared to a decade ago.

Several factors contribute to the shrinking youth population, including a declining birth rate, changes in immigration patterns, and the high cost of housing, which has pushed families out of the region.

However, there are some bright spots. San Francisco is the only Bay Area county to see an enrollment gain from the 2023-24 school year to the current one, and has shown slight increases in each of the last three years. Contra Costa County also saw a slight increase in enrollment last year, though this year shows a small decrease. These trends suggest a complex picture, with some areas beginning to stabilize while others continue to face significant challenges.

Keywords: Bay Area schools, school enrollment, California Department of Education, Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, San Francisco, Contra Costa County, declining enrollment, transitional kindergarten, student population, education, pandemic, housing costs, birth rate, immigration.

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