LA Unified sees steep decline in enrollment

The number of students enrolled at Los Angeles Unified schools has dropped by nearly 6% since last year — that’s over 27,000 students. The state’s largest school district had a total enrollment of 466,299 students last year in preschool through 12th grade. This year, the total enrollment for the same grade levels is 439,013.

The steep decline was three times what the district predicted, according to reporting by the Los Angeles Times.

A large part of the decline was seen among students in younger grades, a pattern that began last year and continued into the current school year.

In a presentation prepared for the school board, the district’s chief strategy officer, Veronica Arreguin, outlined strategies for increasing enrollment. Among them are expanded outreach to families, data analysis, and supporting enrollment counselors.