Lincoln Schools Enrollment Drops 675 Students

Lincoln Public Schools reported 41,265 students for 2026-27, down from 41,940 the prior year and well below its 2019-20 peak.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Secondary Education

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of stacked child-sized chairs before beige lockers in an empty corridor, with a shaft of pale light across the floor. — Lincoln Public Schools enrollment fell by 675 students to 41,265 for the 2026-27 school year, continuing a broader decline tied to falling U.S. births. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Lincoln Public Schools enrollment declined by 675 students for the 2026-27 school year, bringing total preschool through 12th grade enrollment to 41,265. The district released official figures on Friday, following Oct. 1 counts that Nebraska school districts are required to submit to the state.

Why it matters

The decline reflects a broader drop in U.S. births, with the birth rate falling to a record low in 2025 and continuing a 20-year trend toward fewer children. Lincoln Public Schools may continue to see overall enrollment declines in coming years.

Elementary enrollment fell by 426 students to 16,949, middle school by 148 to 9,109, and high school by 232 to 13,249. Early childhood enrollment increased by 131 students, and all eight Lincoln high schools now have fewer than 2,000 students for a second straight year.

The players

Lincoln Public Schools

The public school district serving Lincoln, Nebraska, which operates elementary, middle and high schools across the city.

The details

Enrollment fell at the elementary, middle and high school levels, while early childhood enrollment grew by 131 students. Robinson Elementary in Northeast Lincoln and Moore Middle in Southeast Lincoln were among the schools that added students.

Enrollment peaked at 42,297 students in the 2019-20 school year.
Enrollment was 42,282 students in the 2024-25 school year.
Official enrollment counts were taken as of Oct. 1, 2026.
Lincoln Public Schools released the 2026-27 figures on Friday.

Season Trajectory

The U.S. birth rate fell to a record low in 2025, continuing a 20-year decline in births. U.S. K-12 enrollment is projected to drop to about 46.9 million students by 2031, and Lincoln's decline fits that national pattern.

Families in Lincoln may see changes in class sizes and school resources as enrollment shifts across elementary, middle and high schools. Parents of young children should note that early childhood enrollment grew, even as older grade levels shrank.

The takeaway

Declining enrollment across Lincoln's schools signals long-term shifts in family size that will shape school planning. Families can check their local school's enrollment and programs through the district website.