After the start of the new school year, several districts in Los Angeles County have found that student enrollment numbers have decreased again, with a decrease of nearly 10% being the highest. It is believed that this could lead to a series of reactions such as cuts in public school funding and teaching positions. This trend is not only present in Los Angeles but also in elementary and middle schools throughout California where enrollment numbers are rapidly declining.
Cindy Wu, a member of the Mountain View School District (MVSD) in Los Angeles County, revealed that the total enrollment of students in the district for this school year is around 3,700, a decrease of over 300 students (nearly 10%) compared to the previous year. California allocates funding based on enrollment numbers and attendance rates, so the district has received over $3 million less in funding, leading to various challenges in areas like utilities and management fees.
According to Wu, the decrease in student numbers for the 2026-27 school year is a common phenomenon in Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles County has a total of 80 public school districts, with the largest being the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second largest in North America, experiencing a significant decline in student enrollment. According to LAist, the district is expected to enroll 378,000 K-12 students for this school year, compared to 392,000 students from the previous year, a decrease of approximately 14,000 students.
Wu believes that the decrease in public school student numbers has multiple reasons, including immigration enforcement, where students without legal status may be hesitant to attend school, families relocating outside of California, and a decline in birth rates. Data from the California Public Policy Institute indicates that California’s total fertility rate (TFR), which is the average number of children a woman gives birth to, has decreased from 2.2 in 2007 to 1.48 in 2023, well below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to maintain the population.
According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Los Angeles County experienced a decrease of approximately 60,000 to 70,000 people in 2024-25, making it the county with the largest population decline in the U.S.
Data from the California Department of Education shows that K-12 enrollment in California is expected to decrease from 5.731 million in the 2025-26 academic year to 5.647 million in the current academic year (a decrease of 84,000 students), with Los Angeles County accounting for over 30,000 of that decrease. Out of California’s 58 counties, 48 have seen a decrease in student enrollment.
The decrease in student enrollment will also lead to a reduction in teaching positions. Districts with significant student decreases not only face budget crises but also pressure to lay off staff.
Wu mentioned that the Mountain View School District reduced approximately 100 positions last year through retirements and layoffs to alleviate the budget pressure caused by the decrease in student enrollment. Compared to districts like LAUSD with hundreds of thousands of enrolled students, if they were to experience a similar decline, it could entail laying off thousands of teaching staff.
In July of this year, the Los Angeles County Department of Education wrote to LAUSD, stating that the district meets the legal standard of “insufficient ongoing financial capacity” under California law, making it unable to fulfill its financial obligations for the next two fiscal years, potentially subjecting it to stricter financial oversight. Currently, LAUSD has an annual budget of $20.6 billion, and although the district plans to increase its budget and use reserve funds to cover shortfalls, it may still face a deficit of over $230 million by November 2027.
LAUSD comprises 1,300 schools with approximately 83,000 staff members. According to the Los Angeles Times, significant budget cuts have already impacted the district, with district officials needing to develop plans that could potentially result in the loss of 6,000 job opportunities by the next school year.