Enrollment in New Jersey public schools fell to the lowest levels recorded in almost a quarter-century during the state’s most recent annual count, diving past pandemic lows to reach depths not seen since the turn of the millennium.
According to figures from October recently released by the state Department of Education, public school enrollment declined by 23,732 students in the 2025-2026 school year to about 1.4 million, the lowest level since the 2001-2002 school year, a drop that appeared driven mostly by falling birth rates.
“It’s like a giant clock with a lot of moving parts, but it adds up to enrollment declines. And since state aid is tied to enrollment, it’s going to have an effect,” said Betsy Ginsburg, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools. “It’s already having an effect. It’s going to have an even bigger effect.”
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