The overall number of kids attending traditional and charter K-12 schools in Utah has seen its biggest drop in a decade, new data shows.
There are 4,873 fewer children attending public school this fall than there were at the start of the 2023-24 school year, amounting to an historic 0.7% drop.
That figure accounts for both traditional and charter K-12 school students, because charters in Utah are public, though most are run independently of traditional school districts.
Charter schools alone, however, have seen gains since the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, growing from 77,750 students enrolled at that time to 81,810 this fall — an increase of 4,060 students, or 5.22%.
During that same period, however, enrollment in traditional school districts dipped from 596,601 students at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year down to 585,979 this fall — a loss of over 10,000 students, or 0.98%.
The overall number of kids attending traditional and charter K-12 schools in Utah had seen steady growth from the beginning of the 2013-14 school year until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. By the beginning of the 2020-21 school year, total enrollment dipped by 0.2%.
The next school year brought a gain of 1.3% more students overall. And there were no significant changes in total public school enrollment between the beginning of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years.
But at the start of the 2023-24 school year, public school enrollment across the board dipped by 0.3%.
Some traditional school districts, like Alpine School District, saw minor increases in enrollment this year, while others, like Davis School District, saw minor decreases, according to a Friday news release from USBE.
“This variation suggests that population shifts, and individual district factors, may play a role in overall enrollment trends,” the news release stated.
USBE also noted shifts in certain grade levels over the past 12 years. For instance, enrollment in public elementary schools statewide has generally decreased, while enrollment in public secondary schools has increased.
Enrollment of students from traditionally underserved populations — including English language learners, students with disabilities and students of color — has risen overall most years since 2014, according to the news release.
Meanwhile, enrollment of economically disadvantaged students has declined. From the start of the 2013-14 school year to the start of the 2018-19 school year, these students made up an average of 34% of Utah’s total student population.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, that figure dropped to 29%, and this year saw another 4 percentage point decrease compared to last year.
“This data provides insights into student demographics, needs, and trends, enabling the Board to make informed funding allocation decisions that promote the success of Utah’s students,” said USBE Director of Data and Statistics Aaron Brough in a statement Friday.
None of the students tallied in this data are voucher recipients. The state’s new voucher program only applies to students attending private school, as well as students who are homeschooled.
