BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A sharp drop in the number of Hispanic students reported in Alabama’s public schools this year reflects a change in federal reporting rules more than a sudden demographic shift, according to an analysis by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama.
The council’s review of Alabama Department of Education enrollment data for the 2025-26 school year shows that while overall K-12 enrollment declined statewide, the new method for reporting race and ethnicity dramatically altered how some students are classified, making it difficult to determine whether Hispanic enrollment actually rose or fell.
The reporting change comes as school districts monitor enrollment closely amid heightened national and state attention to immigration and population changes across Alabama communities…