To kick off our series on what we learned in 2025, our Jakob McWhinney explains that schools across the county must begin to plan for a smaller future.
Recap: Over the past decade, enrollment at San Diego County public schools has declined by about 27,000 students.
“That’s a problem for districts because enrollment is tied to funding, meaning the fewer students a school has, the higher the likelihood staff will get laid off,” McWhinney writes. “In some serious cases, schools may even be closed.”
While some people look for other explanations to declining enrollment, McWhinney says the answer is far more simple – there are just fewer kids.
Rising cost of living and declining birth rates are some of the underlying symptoms driving a shrinking San Diego. But how are school districts supposed to adapt to a loss of students? The solutions are in the data, writes McWhinney.
What We Learned This Year: Throughout the rest of the week, our reporters will look back at some of the biggest stories in 2025. We’ll recap what we learned and what we’ll keep watching in the new year. Happy reading!
Hear From Artists Trying to Make It in San Diego
While the city of San Diego invested $12.9 million in arts and culture nonprofits last year, artists still struggle to make money from their art.
The number of museums and art galleries that buy or sell local artists’ work are few and far between. So how do they pull it off?
Voice of San Diego contributor Evan Apodaca spoke with three artists about how they make it work in one of the most expensive cities in the country.
From selling art abroad to creating their own alternative spaces, these artists explain how they had to get creative to make it in San Diego.
In Other News
- The Union-Tribune reports that the county is still planning on offering homeless individuals shelter at cabins in Lemon Grove, but the project is going to cost a lot more. That’s because a land deal needed to make the project happen violated federal regulations. (Union-Tribune)
- San Diego County seniors have found a new purpose in taking on side gigs. Some have discovered work on their own terms is the secret sauce to a balanced retirement lifestyle. (Union-Tribune)
- San Diego County is in for a wet Christmas. Heavy rains are expected throughout the week, with a flood watch in effect from Wednesday through Thursday morning. (Times of San Diego)
The Morning Report was written by Mariana Martínez Barba. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña.