Number of K-12 public school students has declined in more than half of states, report indicates

The number of kindergarten through 12th grade public school students in the U.S. has declined in 30 states since the mid-2010s, The New York Times reported.

According to a list of enrollment changes by state from 2014 to 2024 that the outlet indicates was sourced from “National Center for Education Statistics,” West Virginia saw the largest decline at -13.6%, with Mississippi next at -12%, and New Hampshire next at -11.1%.

Washington, D.C., which is not a U.S. state, saw the largest increase at +16.4%, according to the list, with North Dakota coming in next at +12.4%, then Idaho at +8.5%.

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While multiple factors impact enrollment, according to the Times, the outlet claimed that experts indicate the largest factor in falling enrollment is the nation’s record-low fertility rate.

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Enrollment has fallen 9% since 2014 in Portland, Oregon, according to the Times.

“People are choosing to raise kids somewhere other than in the city — moving to suburbs or places where they have access to affordable housing,” Portland Public Schools Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong said, according to the Times.

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“So it’s not just about losing students, it’s about the city of Portland losing families,” she noted, according to the outlet.