LAUSD, other large districts weigh school

Los Angeles Unified School District is considering school closures and consolidations for the 2026-27 academic year. Superintendent Andrés Chait told the community enrollment has fallen from over 700,000 students in 2002-03 to a current projection under 400,000.

So far this school year, 373,538 students are enrolled, a figure nearly 1% lower than budgeted. The district said that 1% drop equates to a revenue loss of about $60 million. LAUSD attributes the decline to lower birthrates, families leaving due to unaffordable housing, and shifts in immigration and out-of-state migration.

Chait said the district operates nearly the same number of campuses as it did two decades ago, despite having almost half the students. "That matters, because enrollment affects what a school can provide," Chait said. "When a school has very few students, it can be harder to offer the experience our students deserve."

He explained that low enrollment leads to elementary students across grades sharing classrooms. High school students face fewer electives, advanced courses, career pathways, and extracurricular activities. The superintendent stated the goal is to create stronger schools, not only shrink their number, and that such decisions can help reduce costs.

Fiscal pressures mount

LAUSD faces concurrent budget challenges. Its 2025-26 operating fund expenditures decreased, but costs still exceeded revenue. In a September 15 letter, the Los Angeles County Office of Education said the district's budget projections portray an unsustainable use of fund balances. The letter also stated LAUSD is not projected to meet its minimum required reserve in FY 2027-28 nor FY 2028-29.

These pressures are not unique to Los Angeles. During the 2025-26 school year, Pittsburgh Public Schools and Houston Independent School District approved sweeping closures amid their own enrollment drops.

Nationwide district considerations

With the new school year, other large districts are also weighing closures. Albuquerque Public Schools, New Mexico's largest district, announced its board approved a resolution on September 16 to start a districtwide community engagement process on facility and enrollment planning.

The district stressed no closure decisions have been made. It will gather community input this fall before any formal recommendations. Albuquerque Public Schools reported enrollment dropped from 84,000 students to under 64,000 between 2018 and the end of the 2025-26 school year. It cited declining birthrates and families with school-age children moving out of state.

Deputy Superintendent Randy Mahlerwein said declining populations hurt student opportunities. As school populations decrease, it becomes harder to sustain the same programs, services and staffing, Mahlerwein stated.

Programming shifts and enrollment goals

In Minnesota, Minneapolis Public Schools suggested on September 15 that its board consider removing academic programming from up to 16 school buildings. If approved, the district said there are no immediate and specific plans to repurpose those unprogrammed buildings. Future uses could include early childhood services, community education, athletic spaces, or schools if enrollment rebounds.

While those decisions are pending, Minneapolis Public Schools is pursuing strategies to boost enrollment. Its goals are increasing kindergarten enrollment, improving transitions between elementary and middle schools, and boosting student retention across grade levels.

Oregon's Portland Public Schools is also considering closing up to 18 schools due to enrollment declines. District leaders warned that without closures, staffing, programming, and school resources would still change as enrollment is expected to keep falling.