SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Kids are heading back to class this week, but classes are getting smaller in most districts as enrollment in public schools continues to decline.
Fewer students means less funding, and it’s a problem local schools have been trying to solve for years.
Over the past ten years, public schools around the county have lost about 27,000 students.
The biggest district, San Diego Unified, says it’s lost almost 10,000 students since the 2017-2018 school year.
At the same time, enrollment in some charter schools is surging.
They’re publicly funded too, but they provide some more options for students like language immersion programs, more online classes or better college prep.
School administrators say the cost of living makes enrollment an uphill battle.
As things get more expensive, fewer people are having kids. Plus, fewer families are moving or growing their families in San Diego County.
“We've really tried to take a deep dive over the past couple of years to figure out what's driving that,” said Cody Patterson, Board President of the San Diego Unified School District. “The biggest driver is the cost of housing.”
Many teachers also struggle to afford to live where they work.
But some districts say investing in programs like community schools or student mental health may make more families return to public schools.
“Social and emotional wellness. Not just learning, but are the students well? Are they loved? When they come on campus, do they feel like they belong? Are we eliminating bullying?” said Patterson. “Frankly, if we get that right, kids are going to come. They'll choose the public option.”
SDUSD says it’s also trying to retain students by investing in infrastructure, so many campuses around the district are improving things like theaters and STEM programs.
The district says the silver lining is that neighborhood participation rates have remained high. That means most families eligible for public schools are going to them.
Also, the rates of enrollment have been dropping much more slowly over the past couple of years at SDUSD.
