Since 2020, more families have been fleeing local district schools for other options. Homeschooling rates doubled in that year alone and remain high today. Home-based "pandemic pods" have evolved into established microschools and co-op arrangements that have worked better for many families than a conventional classroom. Catholic schools, like other private schools, were more likely to remain open while district schools were closed and have experienced their first enrollment hike in two decades. More students are now learning in virtual schools and charter schools than they were pre-pandemic.

Parents are recognizing that they have many more options for their children's education and are continuing to abandon government-assigned district schools.

While it was understandable that parents might seek different learning settings for their children amidst 2020 school closures, new data suggests the exodus from district schools isn't letting up. 

Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) reported last week that statewide public school enrollment declined again this year on top of the previous pandemic-year drop. Fewer Minnesota families chose homeschooling this year than last, but private schools in the state saw a nearly 6 percent increase in enrollment, according to MPR.

This week, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that public schools in that city are "losing students at a faster pace than school leaders expected." This is making some of them nervous, as continued enrollment declines will likely lead to less taxpayer-funding of district schools.