The state Department of Education has launched a formal review process to assess whether some public school campuses should be consolidated, citing a steady decline in student enrollment over the past decade.

A department report sets official enrollment at DOE and charter schools in the 2004-2005 school year at more than 181,000 students statewide, with about 175,000 of them attending DOE schools. Enrollment peaked in the 2013-2014 school year, when enrollment surpassed 185,000.

Since then, there has been a steady decline, and for the current 2024-2025 academic year, total enrollment in DOE and charter schools dropped to just 165,340 students, with only 152,270 enrolled in DOE schools.

DOE announced Thursday that the declining enrollment trend prompted officials to begin a school consolidation study, following procedures outlined in state guidelines.

According to a recent update presented by Deputy Superintendent of Strategy and Administration Tammi Oyadomari-Chun, the study aims to identify schools operating well below capacity and explore the feasibility of merging certain campuses. The review process will evaluate several factors, including enrollment trends and whether nearby schools have the capacity to accommodate additional students.

It also will involve assessing the physical condition and usage of school facilities, operational costs, potential financial savings and the social and community impacts of consolidation.

A school consolidation study is required if certain conditions are met, such as when one-third or more of a school’s existing facility square footage requires replacement or improvement; when one-third or more of the available classrooms exceed the school’s teaching and program needs; or when enrollment declines and staff reductions limit the school’s ability to offer a comparable range of educational opportunities to those at larger, neighboring schools, provided those schools can accommodate relocated students without significant capital improvements.

DOE emphasized that community engagement will be central to the process. The department is required to gather feedback from stakeholders, including families, school staff and local officials and hold public meetings before making any recommendations.

According to the proposed timeline, the DOE will spend this spring gathering stakeholder input before beginning the data collection phase. Schools will not be identified for consolidation studies until fall, following the completion of official enrollment counts.

“We are committed to ensuring that all students continue to have access to high-quality educational opportunities and that we are making the best use of our public resources,” DOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a statement. “This review is an important part of planning for the future of our public school system. We understand the concerns that arise around school consolidations, and we will keep our communities informed throughout the process.”