Before the pandemic, 85 percent of students attended traditional public schools, she writes. Almost 9 percent were in private schools. After the pandemic, the number fell below 80 percent. It “hasn’t rebounded.” Private school enrollment has held steady.
One third of students in mostly black districts are not in traditional public schools, Barshay notes. Students in high-poverty districts also are more likely to “lost” to their neighborhood schools.
Some of the missing students enrolled in charter schools, which saw their share of enrollment rise from 5 percent to 6 percent. “Virtual” schools’ share rose form 0.7 percent to 1.2 percent. As vouchers expand, private schools may begin growing too, but there’s not much evidence of that yet.
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Where have all the students gone?