While enrollment in Santa Monica public schools should climb over the next decade, Malibu school enrollment will decline by 15.7 percent, according to a study solicited by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.Â
The district as a whole should see an overall rise in enrollment of 3 to 11 percent, said officials from the enrollment impact research firm Decision Insite during a presentation last Thursday night at a Board of Education meeting.
In 2013, Malibu schools had a population of 1,667 students. By 2023, that number is expected to dwindle by 15.7 percent to 1,406. Santa Monica schools will see a 12.4 percent uptick though, with 2013 enrollment at 7,904 and 2023 numbers projected at 8,882.
Decision Insite factored in the development and construction of new family housing units in the next 10 years. Santa Monica’s residential development market is on the rise, but Malibu is not expected to add many new residential units in coming years. Researchers also looked at private school enrollment, the housing market outlook and inter-district transfers to prepare the forecast.
To view the full enrollment presentation, see PDF attached at left.