Declining enrollment rates are forcing school districts across San Jose to stare down campus closures and sharp budget cuts.
California education data shows almost every school district in the city has faced enrollment declines over the past decade. Families are being priced out of San Jose because of increasing costs of living — and as students leave the districts, so does the money tied to enrollment and attendance.
Berryessa Union School District (BUSD) in North San Jose recently launched a task force to assess potential school closures and strategize for $6 million in funding reductions.
The monthslong process has included numerous public meetings and discussions, a school district spokesperson told San José Spotlight, and members of the School Consolidation Advisory Committee hope to come back with a plan by Oct. 16.
Enrollment at BUSD has declined about 22% since 2014, with the number of students going from more than 7,700 to roughly 6,000, state data shows. The school district has 13 campuses.