California schools shut dozens as enrollment drops sharply statewide

California’s public schools saw enrollment shrink by 1.3% in the 2025-26 academic year, removing roughly 75,000 students and triggering the largest annual loss since 2021-22. Funding formulas that tie money to student counts have left districts financially strained as operating expenses remain largely unchanged. The state has witnessed a surge in school shutdowns, with 79 closures recorded in 2025 and an additional 73 already closed this year.

Analysts point to families leaving the state, heightened immigration enforcement and a pronounced decline in births—fertility fell from 2.21 children per woman in 2007 to 1.48 in 2023—as key factors. Los Angeles Unified alone closed 14 schools after losing about 16,765 students, while San Jose Unified and Oakland Unified each shuttered five schools amid significant enrollment drops. The schools that closed tended to serve low-income communities and posted test scores roughly 14% below the state average.