Alabama Public Schools Lose 5,800 Students, $30M Hit

Alabama public schools lost roughly 5,800 students in the 2025–26 school year, the largest year‑over‑year decline in about 40 years, state officials say. About 3,000 students used CHOOSE Act education savings accounts to move to private schools or homeschooling, while roughly 2,800 remain unaccounted for and officials warn some may be unreported homeschoolers. State and local leaders, including Superintendent Eric Mackey, are searching for missing students — including door‑to‑door checks — and urging parents to ensure every school‑aged child is enrolled. The enrollment drop is expected to reduce funding by about $30 million to the state's requested 2027 education budget and puts roughly 500 education positions at risk, though officials say many losses may be absorbed through retirements and attrition. Most districts lost students overall, but some charter and virtual programs saw gains; Birmingham Legacy Prep, for example, is expanding with a new intermediate campus and plans for a future high school.