Surrey Schools sees a second straight decline in K-12 enrolment for 2026-27

Surrey Schools began the 2026-27 school year with fewer kindergarten-to-Grade 12 students for a second consecutive year. Regular enrolment fell by 1,182 to 75,795, a 1.5 per cent decline. This year's decrease exceeds last year's drop of 871, the district's first decline in more than two decades outside the COVID-19 pandemic. Total headcount, which includes K-12, online, alternate, adult and cross-enrolled students, was 85,400, down 486, or 0.6 per cent, from 85,886 last year.

Deputy Superintendent Andrew Holland presented the figures at the Surrey Board of Education meeting on Oct. 7. The province uses the count to calculate the district's operating funding. Holland said the district believes the decline is due to changes in federal immigration policy and people moving farther east within the province or out of the province. He said it follows the same trend seen last year after many years of rapid growth.

Adult learning enrolment fell by 116 to 264, a 31 per cent drop, while online learning fell by 64 to 259, down 20 per cent. Last year, adult learning grew slightly and online learning held steady. International fee-paying students declined by 50 to 596, a 7.7 per cent drop.

Asked by the board about declines across program types, Holland said each is counted differently and at different points in the year. Adult learning students are counted after completing 10 per cent of a course. Because the school year started late, on Sept. 8, many students had not yet reached that point and could not be counted. The district also waits until there are enough students to start a course, so the remaining students will appear in the February count, he said.

Online students can register at any time during the school year, and counts are also taken in February and May, so numbers can vary month to month. “That number can change a lot any given month,” Holland said.

Alternate Learning enrolment dropped by 142 to 44, a 24 per cent decline. Holland attributed the decrease to students finding more support at their local schools, removing the need to relocate for support. He said the district has opened 14 HOPE programs in recent years and has seen more students stay at neighbourhood schools instead of entering an alternate learning program. Students can receive support at their neighbourhood schools rather than having to attend a specialized school, he said.

The district counted 2,774 Indigenous learners, down 126 or 4.3 per cent. It also counted 23,818 students receiving English Language Learner (ELL) services, down 604 or 2.5 per cent, in line with the overall enrolment decline.

Despite fewer students overall, the number receiving Level 1 special education funding rose by three per cent, from 95 to 98, and the Level 2 count rose by five per cent, from 4,877 to 5,120. Level 1 students may include those who are physically dependent or deafblind. Level 2 can include students with an autism diagnosis or a physical or chronic health impairment. The Level 3 count, for students who may need intensive behaviour intervention, fell by 163 to 627, a 21 per cent decline. The province provides supplemental funding for each of these students on top of the basic per-student grant.

Holland acknowledged enrolment may continue to dip in the coming years, but said the district will return to growth over the longer term. He said this year's decline will not affect students. Although enrolment is down about 1,200, it is within the board's projection and the Board Enrolment Stabilization Fund it set aside; the district therefore does not anticipate cuts to student programs or services.

Unless otherwise noted, enrolment figures are full-time equivalent (F.T.E.) counts, adjusted for students who attend part-time, take more than eight courses or are enrolled for one semester. Headcount figures are not adjusted in this way.