For only the second time in nearly four decades, enrollment in Texas public schools has posted a sharp statewide decline, with more than 76,000 fewer students enrolled compared with the previous academic year, according to a new report.
Since Texas began tracking enrollment data during the 1987-88 school year, the only other statewide decline came during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21. While pandemic disruptions largely drove that drop, education officials and researchers say the current decline appears to be driven by different factors.
