Enrollment in the Chicago public schools is down by nearly 10,000 students from a year ago.
The district announced last month that 371,382 students attend public schools, including privately run charter schools. Last year’s head count was 381,349, down about 11,000 from the previous school year. The district planned on an enrollment decline of about 8,000 students for this year. In 2002, enrollment was 438,589.
District officials blame much of the steady decline in the number of students on falling birthrates and slower immigration patterns. They also point to an exodus of residents from the city’s South and West sides.
