Surrey Schools sees second straight drop in K-12 enrolment for 2026-27 school year
For the second year in a row, Surrey Schools has started the school year with fewer kindergarten to Grade 12 students than the year prior, with regular student enrolment down 1,182 to 75,795, or 1.5 per cent.
This year’s decrease is larger than last year’s drop of 871 students, which was the district’s first decline in more than two decades outside of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Total headcount, which includes K-12, online, alternate, adult and cross-enrolled students, was 85,400, down 486 (0.6 per cent) from 85,886 last year.
The count, which the province uses to calculate the district’s operating funding, was presented at the Oct. 7 Surrey Board of Education meeting by Deputy Superintendent Andrew Holland.
“We anticipate the decrease is due to changes in federal immigration policy, as well as people moving east further within the province, or outside of the province,” he said. “This follows the same trend we had last year following many years of rapid growth.”
Fewer students in other programs and groups
Adult learning also fell by 116 to 264, down 31 per cent, while online learning fell by 64 to 259, down 20 per cent. By contrast, last year adult learning grew slightly and online learning held steady.
International fee-paying students also dropped by 50 to 596 (down 7.7 per cent).
Asked by the Board about the decline in numbers for the various program types, Holland noted that each are counted differently, and at different points throughout the year.
“For Adult learning, we claim students after they have completed 10 per cent of the course, so because of the late start to the school year on September 8, many of the students haven’t completed 10 per cent of the course and aren’t able to be counted,” he explained.
“We also don’t start the course until we have enough students, so the rest of those students will show up in the February count.”
For Online Learning, Holland referenced that because students can register for online learning at any point in the school year, and that there are counts also done in February and May, the number of students can vary from month to month.
“That number can change a lot any given month,” he said.
As for the number of Alternate Learning students, which dropped 142 to 44 (or 24 per cent), Holland attributed the decline to students finding more support in their local schools, negating the need to relocate elsewhere for support.
“The board has opened 14 HOPE programs in the past few years and have seen more students staying at their neighbourhood schools, instead of going into an alternate learning program,” he explained. “So that means kids are getting support in their neighbourhood schools rather than having to go to a specialized school.”
The district also counted 2,774 Indigenous learners, down 126 (4.3 per cent) and students receiving ELL (English Language Learners) at 23,818, down 604 (2.5 per cent), in line with the larger decline in overall enrolment.
More students receiving Level 1 & 2 support
Even with fewer students overall, the number receiving Level 1 & 2 special education funding rose by three per cent (95 to 98) and five per cent (4,877 to 5,120) respectively.
Level 1 students may include those who are physically dependent or deafblind, while Level 2 can include students with an autism diagnosis or a physical or chronic health impairment.
The Level 3 count, for students who may require intensive behaviour intervention, fell by 163 to 627 (down 21 per cent).
The province adds supplemental funding for each of these students on top of the basic per-student grant.
No cuts to programs or services
While Holland acknowledged enrolment may continue to dip in the years to come, he said in the longer term, the district will return to growth.
As for the current school year, Holland said the decline won't affect students.
“Even though the enrolment is down 1,200 students, that is within the Board’s projection and Board Enrolment Stabilization Fund that the board set aside, so we do not anticipate any cuts to services or programs for students.”
About the numbers
Unless noted as headcount, enrolment figures are F.T.E. (full time equivalent) counts, which adjust for students who attend part-time, take more than eight courses or are enrolled for one semester.
