The latest figures provided by the California state Department of Education highlight how far, and how quickly, public school enrollment in San Mateo County has plunged lately.
Between 2017-18 and 2021-22, the county’s K-12 pupil totals have fallen by 8,733 youngsters, or 9%, according to the department’s updated website. The official 2021-22 public school population, as of the state’s official census day tally, was 86,422.
Reasons for the rapid decline are varied. Nancy Magee, San Mateo County superintendent of schools, said the top reason is the high cost of living along the Peninsula.
She added that women are having fewer children these days and having them later in life. “That’s a national trend as well,” she pointed out.
The effects of the pandemic, she said, were also not helpful. Significantly, however, the state’s data indicate that, in spite of tuition costs, the county’s private and parochial schools have experienced an uptick in enrollment.
That K-12 total was listed at 17,980 youngsters, or 17% of the county’s overall enrollment of 104,402, as of 2021-22. That’s a notably higher percentage (and number of pupils) for the private/parochial cohort than in previous periods.
Magee speculated that, because private/parochial schools can be more “nimble” during a stressful time (the pandemic, for example), they can benefit by making quick adjustments.
Many of them here remained open longer than public schools as the pandemic proceeded. “We (public schools) had clear public health guidelines we adhered to,” she explained.
Magee said the county’s public school enrollment slide is not unique. Other parts of the state are experiencing similar drops, she noted.
We’ve been down this road before. As the baby boom generation aged, the county’s public school K-12 enrollment went from 125,000 in 1970 to 75,000 in 1985, a huge loss of 50,000 students. Then, a comeback slowly ensued as the 1990s came into view.
Today, a downward spiral seems to have commenced once more. Will the slump persist to that dismal 1985 figure at some point? It’s probably too soon to tell.
But there can be little doubt that public school officials (and their public employee unions) are watching the numbers with some care and concern.
After all, fewer students typically can mean fewer jobs. Not a pleasant formula.
DRACULA NEED NOT APPLY: In spite of persistent media attempts to portray the common bat as some sort of potential danger just waiting to metamorphose into the Prince of Darkness, the little creature is often a boon to the environment.
This Friday at noon, a presentation at the downtown South San Francisco Public Library will attempt to put the lie to the bat’s unfortunate Dracula-centric reputation as a chronic blood-sucker intent on noshing on human plasma.
The informative event will be a product of NorCal Bats, an outfit that tries to set the record straight about its favorite flying beastie.
The library is located at 306 Walnut Ave. No need to bring a cross or a reeking garland of garlic. The vampire legend is, frankly, overdone.
KINDLE MAY HAVE YOUR BOOK: Speaking of public libraries, over the last several years, worries about the banning of books have picked up steam. The issue is a media favorite.
Although actual bans are relatively rare at public libraries, complaints are numerous, according to recent published statistics.
Here’s a handy solution: Forget the library. Just utilize an online Kindle. Of course, that assumes this web-based device has what you’re looking for.
A final note on the subject: Book bans at school libraries are a different matter.
IN-N-OUT IS AGING WELL AT 75: We all age. There’s no getting around that reality. One entity that may have gotten better with age is In-N-Out Burger.
The hamburger chain is observing its 75th anniversary in 2023. Begun in 1948 in Southern California as the first fast-food restaurant to offer drive-thru service, the family-owned outfit now has 387 outlets in seven states. It employs about 27,000 people. There are no franchises.
San Mateo County has four In-N-Out venues; they can be found in Daly City, Millbrae, San Carlos and Redwood City.
Email: johnhorganmedia@gmail.com.
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(8) comments
I’d be curious to see more breakdown of the numbers. Are there differences among the different districts? How about between K-8 and high school? Here at Hillsdale High, for example, I’ve met many families who went private through eighth grade but now back in public.
Why is it that political leaders always want responsibility, but never take responsibility? Nobody makes more excuses than people running public schools. How many years will Nancy Magee blame 'The Pandemic' for all her own faults? Even before the pandemic San Mateo School districts showed little to no interest in teaching reading and math.
Only badly run districts are losing students, well run districts have increased numbers. If Nancy Magee sees enrollment drops all over San Mateo County, that just means corruption is too high and she is failing at her core duty of providing good education.
The problem of public school districts in the Bay Area is something like this:
1: most of them are basic aid now, meaning they are super-rich
2: that money could be invested into "Education" - but never is
3: the money is invested into more administrators and more real estate expenses
If Nancy Magee and her team were doing their jobs EVERY single class room in San Mateo county would have 12-18 children - starting from Pre-K all the way through high school and college. This would help the children, the teachers, the parents, finances, etc. But that would be regarded as great customer services and since almost all school districts in the Bay Area are "Basic Aid" good customer service is now frowned upon. Now that income isn't bound to enrollment numbers anymore, these districts are better off shoving students out and pushing families away. And that is what they are doing.
Low enrollment isn't an accident, in Basic Aid districts its the wanted outcome.
Hello, Gerd
I'm not sure we can paint the county superintendent with the broad brush of corruption, but her "explanations" for public school numbers dropping... again... are starting to wear pretty thin. When I saw the title of John's column, I thought it would be about public school test scores dropping... again.
Are you familiar with the corruption scandal with the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and the Board of the College District? I believe this newspaper reported on Nancy Magee's own 'conflict of interest' scandal.
Then you have the various "choice school" experiments with Magnet Schools going on in San Mateo, Redwood City and others. Basically 'magnet programs' are a tool to help de-segregate school districts, while 'magnet schools' are a method to segregate a district. And how segregated are San Mateo and Redwood City?
SMFCSD board member Shara Watkins herself admitted to systemic racism in her school district, which all happened under Nancy Magee's watch:
https://www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/guest_perspectives/undoing-systemic-racism-in-our-schools/article_81af631c-f907-11ed-b39f-ef830827fa57.html
But school segregation like this is quite expensive, so low-income schools are mostly paying for it. They take their money, call them 'failing' or 'underserved' schools, then the money is routed over to schools where board members and their friends have their kids.
And when board members use their decision making power to mostly benefit their own children and those of their friends - I believe that is called 'corruption', is it not?
This is all sanctioned by Nancy Magee - she is the one 'underserving'.
What a shocker, this county did not prioritize opening schools during Covid and kids sat on screens for over a year. No big mystery as to why many are leaving. And contrary to Ms. Magee's comment, private schools also had to adhere to "public health guidelines". All schools could have filed waivers with the state to open in fall 2020, as schools did all over the country, including the one Gavin Newsom's kids attended. San Mateo County school boards chose to prioritize the fears of anxious adults instead of the needs of children and are reaping what they sowed.
I was about to comment when I read your great response, MichKosk. Not much more to add, except I’d say CA private/parochial schools care “about the kids” while public schools seem intent on winning the race to the bottom (and they’re succeeding). Perhaps a major reason parents are pulling their kids out of public schools - and who can blame them.
Yes it is more than just Covid response (the response, not the virus) that did this, but Covid was a catalyst and parents saw how public schools don't value children. I'll warn parents though to choose your private carefully, they are not all the same and many are captured by the same ideologies that have hurt education in the public schools.
MichKosk - you are correct. My grandchildren attend parochial schools and come home with some of the same garbage that goes for educational material in public schools. Their parents are rebuffed by the school administration when they complain. It seems that all administrators are cut from the same cloth, regardless of their religious affiliation. Parents need to stay alert and push back.
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