PYLUSD reports multi‑year enrollment decline, TK growth and shifting transfer patterns

Tanya Gordillo, assistant director of student services, presented the board with an enrollment update on Oct. 21 that showed a district‑wide decline in census‑day enrollment over the past three academic years, consistent with statewide and national trends.

Gordillo reported census‑day totals of 22,705 (2022‑23), 22,698 (2023‑24) and 22,296 (2024‑25). She also noted that district enrollment typically grows between the start and end of a school year — for example, 2023‑24 rose from 22,123 to 22,694 — but that the larger issue is the net decrease between school years.

A key driver is cohort differences: recent years show more twelfth‑grade seniors graduating out than kindergarten students entering. Gordillo said in 2025‑26 the district expected about 1,310 kindergarteners and roughly 2,061 graduating seniors, creating a net fiscal pressure. She also highlighted strong growth in transitional kindergarten (TK), which rose from 649 to 826 students over the four‑year span; preschool retention into TK is about 80%.

Transfer data for recent years showed more students leaving the district than entering in 2022‑23 and 2023‑24; that trend shifted positively in 2024‑25 (2025‑26 school year) with an increase in incoming transfers. Gordillo said the district has been using county appeals to reduce transfers out and will continue to analyze whether incoming students are drawn by childcare availability, academies/CTE offerings, or other programmatic attractions.

Board members requested follow‑up information that disaggregates transfer reasons and program‑level attractors (for example IB, Cambridge, or vocational CTE offerings) and a clearer comparison to county and state percentage changes; Gordillo said she would provide that additional analysis.