For years, Oakland's public schools took in more than 1,300 students a year who had just arrived from other countries, except during the 2020-21 pandemic year. That number has collapsed, EdSource reports.
The numbers
- 2017-18 to 2024-25: more than 1,300 first-year immigrant students a year
- 2025-26: 498
- 2026-27, as of Oct. 7: 212, mostly elementary students
"We knew the numbers were going to be low. This is extremely low," Nicole Knight, OUSD's executive director of English language learner and multilingual achievement, told EdSource. The decline followed a sharp drop in border crossings in early 2025 amid federal immigration policy changes.
Programs cut
Last year OUSD ran newcomer programs at 17 middle and high schools. This year it has them at six, mostly serving students in their second or third year. Students are moving into mainstream classes sooner, which Knight said is hard on teachers who don't feel equipped to support them.
A warning back in January
The trend was already visible in January. Enrollment director Kilian Betlach told the school board that OUSD was serving 2,641 newcomer students, its lowest number in 10 years, The Oaklandside reported. "We have a newcomer cliff," he said.
Why it matters for the budget
California funds districts by enrollment, so fewer students means less money. Knight said newcomers also helped keep bilingual immersion classes full. "It does make visible how much newcomers were helping us stay afloat," she said.