{"id":2270269,"date":"2024-06-18T08:10:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-18T12:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/public-school-enrollment-declining-in-wa-across-the-nation-as-spending-increases\/"},"modified":"2024-06-18T08:17:03","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T12:17:03","slug":"public-school-enrollment-declining-in-wa-across-the-nation-as-spending-increases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/public-school-enrollment-declining-in-wa-across-the-nation-as-spending-increases\/","title":{"rendered":"Public school enrollment drops in Washington and nationwide, despite rising spending"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpublic-school-enrollment-declining-in-wa-across-the-nation-as-spending-increases%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2270269&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A recent \u2063report from the Manhattan Institute highlights\u2062 a decrease in\u2064 public \u2062school enrollment in\u2063 many of America&#8217;s biggest cities, despite an increase in school staffing and \u2063spending. From 2013 to 2022,\u2063 national public school enrollment fell by \u200bapproximately 2%, from 49.9 million \u200dto 48.8 million students. \u2062Specifically, public school enrollment in Washington state decreased by 4% since 2019, with\u200b many students transitioning to alternative education forms\u2063 such as\u200b private schools, charter schools, or\u200d homeschooling. This shift gained momentum\u200c due to the pandemic and subsequent long-term school closures.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, while certain states like\u200d Texas and Arizona are\u200b seeing increases in public school enrollment, states like New York, Illinois, and California are\u200c experiencing the largest declines. Financial statistics show a \u200d13% increase in per-pupil costs nationally\u2064 over the\u2062 last decade, with Washington school\u2062 districts receiving an average\u200b of \u2064$18,354 per student from combined state, local, and federal sources.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of employment, \u2062Washington state&#8217;s\u200b public schools\u2062 currently employ tens of\u2063 thousands of staff across various roles,\u2062 even as enrollment is \u200bprojected to continue declining through 2031. Controversial state mandates on curriculum,\u200d particularly\u200b those involving Critical Race Theory\u200c (CRT) and \u200brelated ideologies, have also been cited \u200cas factors contributing to the declining enrollment in Washington\u200d public\u200b schools.<\/p>\n<p>Looking ahead, NCES projects\u200c a further 3% decline\u200b in enrollment for\u2064 Washington\u2019s public schools by 2031, while\u2064 only 10 states are expected to see an increase in students during this period.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>(The Center Square)\u00a0\u2013 A new report finds public school enrollment is declining in America\u2019s most populous cities, even as staffing levels and spending have increased.<\/p>\n<p>Last week, the Manhattan Institute published a report that showed between 2013 and 2022, nationwide enrollment decreased by 2%, from 49.9 million to 48.8 million.<\/p>\n<p>Enrollment in state Washington public schools is down 4% since 2019, with many of those students now enrolled in private schools, charter schools or home school programs.<\/p>\n<p>The pandemic and long-term closures of school buildings led to the initial exodus for many families. According to the Center on Reinventing Public Education, statewide enrollment dropped 3% in 2020 compared to enrollment before the pandemic. <a href=\"https:\/\/crpe.org\/how-is-school-enrollment-in-washington-state-shifting-during-covid-19\/#:~:text=Statewide%20enrollment%20dropped%203%20percent,grew%20more%20than%2014%20percent.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Charter school enrollment<\/strong><\/a> jumped 35% in fall 2020. <\/p>\n<p>The Seattle School District \u2013 the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-best-interests-of-children-have-often-come-dead-last-watch-mcconnell-tear-into-teachers-unions\/\" title=\"\u2018The Best Interests Of Children Have Often Come Dead Last\u2019: Watch McConnell Tear Into Teachers\u2019 Unions\">largest school district<\/a> in the state \u2013 was not included in the report. SPS has lost nearly 4,000 students in the last five years and is now in the process of consolidating and <a href=\"https:\/\/southseattleemerald.com\/2024\/06\/13\/seattle-public-schools-postpones-vote-on-list-of-closing-schools\/#:~:text=The%20school%20board%20announced%20in,million%20shortfall%20in%202025%E2%80%9326.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>potentially closing 20 schools.<\/strong><\/a> A final vote on the plan set for June 26. <\/p>\n<p>New York, Illinois and California saw the largest student enrollment declines. Texas and Arizona saw the largest increases, according to the Manhattan Institute report.<\/p>\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/nces.ed.gov\/programs\/coe\/indicator\/cga\/public-school-enrollment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>National Center for Education Statistics<\/strong><\/a>, or NCES, per-pupil costs have increased 13% from 2010, to an average of $16,280 in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Including state, local, and federal resources, Washington school districts receive an average of $18,354 per student.<\/p>\n<p>According to a 2024 Washington state House Republicans <a href=\"https:\/\/houserepublicans.wa.gov\/k-12-education-facts\/#:~:text=Across%20state%2C%20local%2C%20and%20federal,in%20terms%20of%20state%20spending.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>fact sheet<\/strong><\/a> on K-12 education,\u00a0Washington school districts employ 74,000 certificated instructors (including teachers), nearly 44,000 classified employees, and over 5,000 administrators. <\/p>\n<p>NCES projects continued enrollment declines for Washington\u2019s public schools, down another 3% by 2031. Only 10 states are projected to gain students, with Idaho projected to have the largest increase in total enrollment over the period , at 11%.<\/p>\n<p>California and New Mexico are projected to have the largest percent decreases in total enrollment. <\/p>\n<p>In Washington, recent state mandates requiring districts to adopt controversial curriculum has also contributed to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/charter-school-enrollment-skyrockets-amid-restrictive-coronavirus-rules\/\" title=\"Charter School Enrollment Skyrockets Amid Restrictive Coronavirus Rules\">public school exodus<\/a>, according to Liv Finne, Center for Education Director and the Washington Policy Center think tank. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the spring of 2021, lawmakers in Washington state implemented in the public schools the Critical Race Theory (CRT) ideology and its subset, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/men-are-not-women\/\" title=\"Men Are Not Women\">radical gender theory<\/a>. Most families do not want their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/desantis-undeterred-by-disney-criticism-of-florida-parental-rights-bill\/\" title=\"DeSantis Undeterred By Disney Criticism Of Florida Parental Rights Bill\">young children exposed<\/a> to this extremist racial agenda,\u201d she said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpolicy.org\/publications\/detail\/as-parents-flee-controversial-public-schools-private-school-enrollment-jumps-by-25-percent-in-washington-state\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>blog<\/strong><\/a> last summer. <\/p>\n<p>Citing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sbe.wa.gov\/our-work\/private-schools\/enrollment-reporting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>data<\/strong><\/a> from the Washington State Board of Education, Finne went on to write, \u201cPrivate school enrollment in Washington state has jumped by 25 percent in three years. The number of homeschooled students has also grown, from 20,844 in 2019-20 to 29,798 in 2022-23, an increase of 42 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This session, lawmakers passed Initiative 2081, giving parents and guardians the right to review instructional materials, inspect records, receive certain notifications and opt out of sensitive instruction like sexual health education.<\/p>\n<p>The law, which took effect earlier this month, is being challenged by the ACLU, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal is urging school districts to ignore the new law, suggesting there is a conflict with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-democrats-introduce-transgender-bill-of-rights\/\" title=\"House Democrats Introduce \u2018Transgender Bill Of Rights\u2019\">federal education laws<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/washington\/article_022f77aa-2442-11ef-91f0-7bdcc9c71653.html#:~:text=(The%20Center%20Square)%20%2D%20A,introduced%20by%20a%20voter%20initiative.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>as reported<\/strong><\/a> by The Center Square.<\/p>\n<p>The Manhattan Institute report suggests sensible budgeting should dictate that school resources are tied to student enrollment and says policies that protect districts from the budgetary consequences of fewer students are hurting public education.<\/p>\n<p>The report is also critical of teachers\u2019 unions that have long called for higher teacher salaries, even as they instruct fewer students.<\/p>\n<p>According to the National Education Association, Washington teachers are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nea.org\/resource-library\/educator-pay-and-student-spending-how-does-your-state-rank\/teacher\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>among the best paid<\/strong><\/a> in the nation\u00a0\u2013 No. 4\u00a0\u2013\u00a0with an average salary of $86,804 for the 2022-23 school year.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A recent Manhattan Institute report reveals a decline in public school enrollment in major U.S. cities, despite increased staffing and spending. From 2013 to 2022, nationwide enrollment fell by 2%, from 49.9 million to 48.8 million. The report highlights similar trends in Washington state&#8217;s public schools<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2270270,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/empty-classroom-photo-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2270269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/empty-classroom-photo-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2270269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2270269"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2270269\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2270270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2270269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2270269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2270269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}