Declining Student Enrollment and a Growing Opportunity with Jude Schwalbach

Show-Me Institute Podcast · Jul 21, 2026 · 26m

Susan Pendergrass speaks with Jude Schwalbach, senior policy analyst at Reason Foundation, about declining K-12 enrollment nationwide and what it means for the future of open enrollment. They discuss why enrollment dropped in 40 states since the pandemic, how districts have responded to increased competition from charter, private, and homeschooling options, why open enrollment tends to cause far less disruption than critics predict, the case for Missouri to catch up with its neighboring states, and more. Produced by Show-Me Opportunity