Editorial: Missing students raise questions

A new Brookings Institution report finds that millions of American children never returned to school after the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns about citizens not contributing to society because they cannot read or solve simple math problems, which means they cannot hold a job with a living wage.

Uneducated citizens become a burden.

A conflicting report from Dr. Michael Cline, North Carolina’s state demographer, predicts a surge of growth in Moore, Lee and Harnett schools. Read details here. Cline does not share data about the missing students.

In the 2021–22 school year, about 2 million students between 5 and 17 were not in school, a fivefold rise. Federal data analysis from Brookings indicated that as of 2023–24, there were 2.1 million “missing kids,” roughly 4% of all school-age children.

The report notes families did not shift to homeschooling or private schools.

Many children simply disappeared from education systems, their learning status unknown. Experts warn if these students do not learn to read, write and solve math problems, they will struggle to succeed in the workforce and contribute to the economy.

The steepest enrollment drops are concentrated in predominantly Black and high-poverty districts, where more than one-quarter of students are outside traditional public schools. While charter and virtual schools saw modest increases, private school enrollment has stayed flat at about 9% of students, despite the spread of voucher programs.

The study warns of a demographic decline. With U.S. birth rates well below replacement levels, public school enrollment could shrink by 2.2 million students by 2050, even without continued pandemic-related losses. If current trends persist, traditional public schools could lose as many as 8.5 million students.

Education experts say the missing students remain a mystery, and a troubling sign for the nation’s future workforce and leaders preparing for future public-school growth.

Sep. 24, 2025

Stephanie M. Sellers

Brookings Institution Report