New immigrant student enrollment has fallen dramatically across California districts this school year. In Oakland Unified, first-year newcomers dropped from an average of over 1,300 annually to just 212 as of early October. Los Angeles Unified saw newcomer numbers plunge from 20,755 in 2024-25 to 11,103 in 2026-27. Statewide newcomer enrollment had peaked at a record 236,958 in 2024-25 before declining. The drop is forcing some districts to close newcomer programs and is contributing to broader enrollment declines. EdSource