SMMUSD HDQTRS — Enrollment in Santa Monica public schools should climb over the next decade but not in Malibu, where enrollment will decline by 15.7 percent, according to a study from the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
The district as a whole should see an overall rise in enrollment of 3 to 11 percent, said officials at the last Board of Education meeting.
Santa Monica schools will see a 12.4 percent uptick. In 2013 enrollment was 7,904 but officials expect it to hit 8,882 by 2023.
Malibu schools had a population of 1,667 students. By 2023, that number is expected to dwindle by 15.7 percent to 1,406.
The school's consultant 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.
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This story first appeared in The Malibu Times.
