Public school enrollment, projections plunge

The decline in Iowa public school certified enrollment since the 2022-23 school year has been more pronounced than the already downward-looking projections made after both the pandemic and Students First Act. Even the projection made during 2025 for the 2025-26 school year overestimated the number of students in public schools by nearly 3,000.

At right is the calendar year each set of five-year projections was made. Hover over the year to highlight that specific line.
Chart: Jeff Morrison, Iowa Highway Ends/Between Two RiversSource: Iowa Department of EducationGet the dataCreated with Datawrapper