(The Center Square) — As state enrollment continues to decline due to outmigration, falling birthrates, and parents choosing to pull their children out of public school, the number of “ghost” students could continue to rise. 

Funding guarantees and enrollment decline stabilization measures mean California is paying for 400,974 “ghost” students who don’t exist, costing the state $4.06 billion in the 2022-2023 school year, according to a report from the libertarian Reason Foundation.