California’s public school system is facing a troubling trend: declining enrollment coupled with rising spending. New data from the California Department of Education reveals a continued decrease in student numbers for the 2024-2025 school year, raising serious questions about taxpayer return on investment.

The latest figures show a total of 5.8 million students enrolled in TK-12 education, a decrease of 31,000 compared to the previous year and a staggering 380,000 (6%) fewer students than before the pandemic. However, the situation is even more concerning when we delve deeper.

While the overall numbers include charter schools, which have seen an increase of 75,000 students since 2018-19, the decline in traditional public schools is far more dramatic. Factoring out charter school growth reveals an 8% drop in traditional public school enrollment. This decline is particularly striking considering the addition of a new grade level, Transitional Kindergarten, during this period.

This discrepancy between declining enrollment and increased spending prompts vital questions about the allocation of educational resources and the overall effectiveness of the system. Are funds being used efficiently, or are special interests benefiting disproportionately from the current system?