Orange County school officials estimate enrollment drop of nearly 7,000 students

The Brief

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Thousands of students have not returned to Orange County Public Schools this year, and the district faces millions of dollars in lost funding as enrollment declines.

What we know:

Orange County Public Schools is seeing a significant decline in student enrollment this year, with about 7,000 students not attending classes — roughly double previous projections.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP

Nearly half of these students come from immigrant families. The district is facing millions in lost funding and has already imposed a hiring freeze on instructional positions. Officials say some teachers may be reassigned if necessary.

What we don't know:

It is unclear how many of the absent students will return, and the exact causes of some families’ withdraw