How Has California’s K–12 Education Landscape Changed over the Past Thirty Years?

PPIC’s 30th anniversary offers an opportunity to look back on three decades of K–12 education in California. One of the biggest changes over the past 30 years has been the swing from substantial growth to declining numbers of K–12 students. In 1994–95, California’s public schools served roughly 5.3 million students; the student population grew steadily until 2006–7, when it peaked at 6.3 million students; now, there are 5.8 million students, and the state projects that enrollment will fall to its 1994 level by 2031.

Falling birthrates, reduced international migration to California, and continued outmigration to other states are the primary drivers of enrollment declines; these declines are being felt most acutely in coastal districts, reflecting movement to more affordable inland areas. In recent years, enrollment declines have been somewhat tempered by the gradual expansion of California’s transitional kindergarten (TK) program, which will be accessible to all four-year-olds in 2025–26.

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