Overview

• 50,000 students are still missing from U.S. schools as of fall 2022, according to an Associated Press analysis of public, private and homeschool enrollment in 22 states and Washington, D.C.
• The reasons students left during the pandemic are varied, including homelessness, loss of interest or motivation, mental health struggles, work or adult responsibilities, and falling behind in online school.
• The number of missing students has decreased from over 230,000 in fall 2021, indicating a positive trend in the education system's recovery.
• Public school enrollment remained depressed, down by over 1 million students, while private schooling grew nearly 8% and homeschooling grew more than 25% from fall 2019 to fall 2022.
• The decline in missing students is a hopeful sign the education system is moving toward recovery, but the situation is not back to its pre-pandemic normal.