Santa Fe Public Schools Enrollment Plummets

RGF has commented in the recent past about the steep decline in the number of students at the State’s largest school district (Albuquerque Public Schools). But, APS is by no means the only school district in New Mexico that has seen a steep decline in its student population. Santa Fe’s public schools have as well as a recent article in the Santa Fe New Mexican highlighted. We put the data in a handy chart (below) and made a quick calculation to find that the District has seen a 25% drop in student population since 2013.

The decline in student numbers is not unique to New Mexico, but with New Mexico having a stagnant population overall and a rapidly-aging one, don’t look for this trend to change anytime soon. Of course COVID and the Gov.’s lockdowns, poor performance of New Mexico schools, and a growing home school movement have all contributed to the declining student population in government schools.

A focus on school choice would help. Growing New Mexico’s economy and thus our State’s population would also. But, these are anathema to New Mexico’s left-wing legislative majorities and Gov. Lujan Grisham. So, unless things change New Mexico’s well-funded but failing government schools will continue to see a steep drop in student numbers.