Enrollment swells in Washington-area suburbs

Enrollment in the Washington area’s suburban school systems has ballooned in the past 30 years, as the District’s schools have lost half of their students.

Fairfax County schools saw enrollment grow by more than 30 percent since 1980, to 169,000 students last year. The system expects nearly 174,000 students in the fall, placing it among the 15 largest districts in the country.