California public school attendance nears pre-pandemic levels despite enrollment drop

ENROLLMENT IN CALIFORNIA’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS for the 2025-26 school year declined by 1.2% or 72,000 students from 2024-25 levels, the state Legislative Analyst’s Office reported, but average daily student attendance increased and is close to pre-pandemic levels.

The enrollment data aligns with a decadelong decline. Since the 2016-17 school year, school district enrollment has decreased by 11%, or 608,000 students, and public charter school enrollment has declined by 21%, or 124,000 students.