Orange County Public Schools’ 8,000-student enrollment drop included 5,000 immigrants, data shows

Thousands fewer students are enrolled in Orange County Public Schools, and new numbers point to a significant decline among immigrant students, raising questions about the role of immigration-related fears and what the district can do to reverse the trend.In October 2025, OCPS had more than 182,000 students. That number has since fallen to about 174,000 — a drop of roughly 8,000 students. About 5,000 of those students were immigrants, according to new data provided to News 6 from OCPS.Vanos said some families have left the area, while others may still be in Central Florida but are afraid to send their children to school.“Families are afraid to be here,” Vanos said, explaining that some parents do not feel safe leaving home or enrolling their children in school.[WATCH: 98 Orange County Public Schools educators unassigned after enrollment drop, budget changes]The decline is particularly noticeable among some immigrant communities. The number of Haitian students in the district fell by ab