On January 14, 2026, Director of Education Chelsea Coffin was quoted in WTOP. She told WTOP the steady decline of over 200 births per year will affect enrollment at public and charter schools within the city:
“This means that we’re going to see a similar dip in pre-K enrollment, which over time can build. While enrollment has been increasing within D.C. schools, [that] is primarily due to middle and high school increases from children born during those peak years a decade ago. It’s really important to think about the planning for the coming years for public schools for these decreases.”
Additional reading: Chart of the week: Projecting future births and young children in D.C.