Number of the week: School closures in California
As school districts grapple with mounting budget shortfalls, some are considering school closures or consolidations to reduce costs. The proposals are often controversial, as parents fight to keep neighborhood schools open, and some school board members push back against district school closure recommendations. So far this year, school districts in San Jose, Richmond and Long Beach are among those considering closing or merging schools.
Number of schools closed in 2024-25. Among those schools, 30 are traditional public schools and 27 are charter schools. School closures doubled compared with 2022–23.
Number of schools closed in Los Angeles Unified School District since Jan. 1, 2016 — the most of any district in California. LAUSD lost around 122,600 students over the same period.
Total number of public schools including charter schools closed in California since Jan.1, 2015.
Data source: California Department of Education.
