Schools won’t return to pre-pandemic enrollment in next 10 years, economists forecast

A state forecast indicates Florida schools will experience declining enrollment in five of the next six years, with the one positive year representing less than a 0.1% increase. 

The student enrollment forecast from the state Office of Economic and Demographic Research predicts that 12,379 fewer students will attend traditional public schools during the 2024-2025 school year, a 0.5% drop from 2.366 million to 2.354 million. 

The numbers do not include students receiving scholarships to attend nonpublic schools, home-based students, students in the juvenile justice system, and other groups.