Loudoun Co, VA: Enrollment down, SPED numbers "projected to rise"
- The end of childhood
- Jan 22
- 2 min read
Jan 20, 2026, Loudoun Now: Schools Project Continued Enrollment Decline, But Increase in Students Receiving Specialized Services
Leesburg, VA
While student enrollment is expected to continue to decline at Loudoun County Public Schools, the number of students receiving special education and other support services is projected to rise.
Superintendent Aaron Spence in his Jan. 15 budget presentation to the School Board included data on LCPS enrollment, which is projected to decline from 80,517 this year to an estimated 80,201 next year. That trend is forecast to continue for at least the next six years, with staff projections calling for enrollment to fall to 77,044 by fiscal year 2032.
“This trend underscores the importance of careful planning to ensure resources are aligned with student needs,” said Spence, who then discussed why the school budget is increasing while enrollments decline.
Spence said around 90% of budget increases he is requesting this year is accounted for by personnel costs, with around $28 million in a simple pay scale step increase, as well as cost of living adjustments, rising healthcare claims and costs, and rising costs of materials like vehicle fuel.
“While division-wide enrollment is declining, the number of students requiring more resources continues to increase,” he said. “For example, special education students and English learner students comprise about 29% of the total division-wide enrollment. These two student groups have historically outpaced division-wide growth.”
Spence said EL populations are expected to rise by 1% and special education student population to increase by 3.2%. He said that equates to a need for around 45 more teachers and teaching assistants, which is included in the budget proposal. . . .
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