Louisiana School Enrollment is Down Almost 17,000 – Here’s Why
The number of enrolled students in Louisiana's (or anywhere for that matter) school system is going to fluctuate from year to year. Families are moving into, and out of the area all of the time. That kind of change in school populations is just par for the course in the educational world. That being said - the drop in filled desks this school year goes well beyond the expected parameters.
Due to a number of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the incredibly active 2020 hurricane season, the state of Louisiana has seen a drop in enrollment of nearly 17,000 students for the 2020-2021 school year. According to the Advocate, that's an incredible 2.3% drop from the 2019-2020 school year - and half of that number is due to a lack of new kindergarten and pre-k students. There were also significant drops in grades 1 through 7.
Although the deficiency of students is much higher than usual, a poll from the Associated Press shows that Louisiana is more or less in line with the rest of the country. The National average is a 2% decline in enrollment, The Sportsman's Paradise ranks 33rd in the U.S.
Experts are citing massive school closings across the state in response to COVID-19 outbreaks among students and faculty, limited access to schools or computers for remote learning in hurricane-stricken areas, and parents keeping their kids due to do concerns over safety as the direct causes for the drop in enrollment.