Enrollment Up at 46% of Private Schools

(from Cato Institute) 46% of private schools that responded to the Cato Institute 2023 Private School Enrollment Survey reported enrollment increases between the 2022–23 and 2023–24 school years, while 25% saw decreases and 30% reported no change. Notably, 88% of private schools reported either having never closed during the COVID-19 pandemic or reopening in spring or fall of 2020, earlier than most public schools. Other drivers of increased private school enrollment may be increased “culture war” battles in public schools and the large expansions in school choice programs enacted due to the pandemic. The ability of private schools to better meet parent demand compared with public schools may help explain rising demand for private school education.

More from Cato Institute