Attendance and Enrollment

November 23, 2022

Pandemic impact continues at Cal State with fall 2022 enrollment decline

Enrollment declines continue for the second year across the Cal State system mirroring a national trend.

Ashley A. Smith

November 3, 2022

How counselors are tracking down missing students

This week we hear from an attendance counselor who tracks down missing students and tries to get them back to class.

EdSource staff

August 29, 2022

Dual-immersion programs show promise in fighting enrollment declines

Some California school districts have stopped or reversed declining enrollment in a school by beginning dual-language immersion programs.

Zaidee Stavely

July 24, 2022

Enrollment decline: LAUSD's Carvalho says families leaving the state or choosing to home-school

LAUSD and other school districts nationwide are still trying to figure out the whereabouts of children who did not return to school after the pandemic.

Thomas Peele

May 9, 2022

Bay Area schools see families leave cities, flock to suburbs

While the Bay Area had modest school enrollment growth over the past 20 years, suburban districts saw an influx of new students while city districts lost thousands as families sought affordable housing.

Ali Tadayon

April 7, 2022

Porch visits and homeschooling - how some schools are boosting attendance

School district administrators discuss some ways to increase attendance and enrollment, through porch visits or creating a district-run homeschooling option.

EdSource staff

March 21, 2022

We must focus on equity as California tackles declining enrollment

As California policymakers grapple with the fiscal implications of declining school enrollment, they must seize the opportunity to address equity.

Robert Manwaring

February 9, 2022

Oakland students, teachers, community to fight 11 school closures, mergers, reductions  

Students, teachers and parents vow to fight the closures, rally state to forgive Oakland Unified's debt

Ali Tadayon

October 18, 2021

Projected K-12 drops in enrollment pose immediate upheaval and decade-long challenge

Once past Covid disruptions, many school districts face a long-term predicament: budget cuts forced by projected declines in enrollment.

John Fensterwald

October 18, 2021

California districts anticipate major hits to their 2022-23 budgets as enrollments drop

School districts seeing major enrollment and attendance drops fear substantial funding cuts in the 2022-23 school year.

Ali Tadayon

September 15, 2020

Fearing distance learning, many parents opt for preschool instead of kindergarten

Some parents are also opting for preschool because a more familiar environment offers comfort during the pandemic.

Zaidee Stavely

May 11, 2020

Teachers grapple with how to keep track of students during distance learning

The state does not require taking attendance while campuses are closed, but teachers are finding innovative ways to stay in touch with students. 

Ali Tadayon

January 31, 2019

Chronic absenteeism in California schools up slightly, new data show

More than 1 in 10 students statewide were chronically absent from school in 2017-18. Rates for students in marginalized groups much higher than the state average.

David Washburn

September 6, 2018

Chronic absenteeism pervasive in California and nationwide, report shows

Nearly 8 million students nationwide were chronically absent during the 2015-16 school year; California accounted for more than 760,000 of those children.

David Washburn

October 19, 2016

California attorney general calls for state actions to improve student attendance

Half of chronically absent K-5 students are found in 20 percent of districts.

Jane Meredith Adams