Fresno Unified faces steep enrollment decline and budget strain

Fresno Unified School District, California’s third-largest, is bracing for another sharp enrollment drop, with a SchoolWorks forecast showing a net loss of 1,199 students for the 2026-27 year, higher than the 1,044 lost the year before. The district has already shed about 4,000 pupils over the last ten years and anticipates a comparable decline by 2028-29, driven by lower birth rates, migration trends and the state’s high cost of living.

High schools will bear the brunt, with Roosevelt High projected to lose 132 students, McLane 90, and Fresno High 67, while elementary schools such as Figarden may gain a few dozen. Chief of operations Paul Idsvoog noted the projections were completed in late 2025 and will be refined as registration continues. The enrollment squeeze has already led to the elimination of hundreds of jobs and a looming $23 million budget shortfall, prompting officials to consider consolidating schools and programs. Meanwhile, the adjacent Clovis Unified district is expanding, reaching a record 43,254 students in 2025-26.