# CPS enrollment drops again amid low birth rates and immigrant fears

> Chicago Public Schools enrollment falls 11,500 students to 304,700 as birth rates drop and immigrant fears rise.
- Title: CPS enrollment drops again amid low birth rates and immigrant…
- Summary: Chicago Public Schools enrollment falls 11,500 students to 304,700 as birth rates drop and immigrant fears rise. Chicago Public Schools enrollment dropped by…
- Keywords: chicago public schools, enrollment, birth rates, immigrant population, school closures, chicago school board, cps, chicago, news, local, drops, again
- Source: Chicago Sun-Times — https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2026/09/24/chicago-public-schools-enrollment-drops-by-more-than-11-000-accelerating-long-term-downward-trend
- Published: 2026-09-24T20:17:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: chicago public schools, enrollment, birth rates, immigrant population, school closures, chicago school board, cps, chicago, news, local
## CPS enrollment drops again
Chicago Public Schools enrollment has declined once again by 11,500 students to about 304,700, the lowest number in more than two decades.
## Enrollment trend reversed
Enrollment had stabilized for two years, even increasing briefly, with the arrival of thousands of immigrant students in 2023 and 2024, but the trend proved short-lived.
## Long-term decline
CPS enrollment has been on the decline for more than two decades, dwindling from its high of nearly 439,000 students in the 2002-2003 school year.
## Birth rates drop
Chicago birth rates fell by more than 40% from 45,000 in 2005 to around 27,000 in 2023, with the district’s kindergarten cohort shrinking by thousands.
## Immigrant population declines
The district has seen a rapid decline in immigrant populations due to President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation policies and family exodus to suburbs.
## School closures debate
Three of four school board candidates suggest revisiting school closures amid declining enrollment, with one candidate calling it an 'extraordinary last resort'.
## CPS CEO response
CPS CEO Macquline King stated that the quality of education and student experience is what families care about, not enrollment numbers.
## National enrollment trends
Public school enrollment has declined nationwide, with significant losses in Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Dallas and Philadelphia from 2014 to 2:2024.
## Statewide decline
Illinois has lost about 200,000 public school students statewide, or 10%, since 2017.
## Community impact
The biggest enrollment drops over the last decade have occurred in immigrant community hubs like Pilsen, Little Village, Avondale, Brighton Park, Gage Park and McKinley Park.
## Gentrification effects
Rapid gentrification has led to a steep decline in youth populations as multigenerational family homes are converted to single-family homes.
## Suburban exodus
Working class families have moved to the outer suburbs for single family homes and perceived safety, reducing Chicago’s youth population.
## School closures debate
The 2013 school closures by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel have become a contentious issue in this year’s school board president race.
## School closure opposition
Board member Jitu Brown stated that over 80% of school closings across the United States have happened in Black neighborhoods, urging a different approach to underutilized schools.
## Enrollment data
At Kelly College Prep in Brighton Park, enrollment fell by 229 students to 1,273 this year, according to preliminary data.
## What happens next
CPS officials are expected to extend the school closure moratorium until after the 2026-2027 school year as community groups rally for the prohibition to be extended.
## Key takeaway

Chicago Public Schools enrollment dropped by 11,500 students to 304,700, the lowest in over two decades, due to declining birth rates and immigrant population declines.