Milton Public Schools gained students over the past decade, while Canton’s enrollment remained nearly unchanged, contrasting with a statewide decline that is prompting a review of Massachusetts’ school funding formula.

Milton enrolled 4,358 students in 2025–26, up from 4,094 in 2015–16, an increase of about 6.4%, according to state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education records.

Canton enrolled 3,314 students, just six more than its 2015–16 total of 3,308, according to DESE data. Both district totals include preschool and special-program enrollment.

Statewide, K–12 public school enrollment fell to 867,825 in 2025–26, its lowest level since 1994 and roughly 6% below the total a decade earlier, according to an Oct. 13 CommonWealth Beacon report.

Doug Howgate, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and a member of the Foundation Budget Review Commission, said the enrollment rebound some expected after the pandemic never arrived.

“Not only has that never happened, but enrollment has continued to decline since then,” Howgate told CommonWealth Beacon.

The decline has implications for Chapter 70, the state’s primary school aid program. Enrollment and student needs help determine funding, but protections prevent districts from losing aid as their student populations shrink.

The FY2027 funding plan provides approximately $7.66 billion in Chapter 70 aid. Its minimum-aid provision guarantees districts at least their prior-year allocation plus $160 per pupil.

CommonWealth Beacon reported that only 62 districts receive aid driven directly by the formula’s enrollment and need calculations. Most receive funding through hold-harmless protections and minimum aid.

Sen. Jason Lewis, Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Education and a commission member, said the number of districts relying on those protections signals a need for changes.

The commission will examine how foundation budgets are calculated and recommend potential revisions. Under the enacted FY2027 budget, it must hold at least four public hearings across geographically diverse regions and submit its first report by Oct. 31, 2028.

Howgate said the review should also consider rural school aid, regional transportation, special education and charter school reimbursement.

For Milton and Canton, the enrollment figures show a different experience from the statewide decline. Milton’s kindergarten class numbered 323 students in 2025–26, while Canton enrolled 248 kindergartners. The decade-long district totals show growth in Milton and stability in Canton, even as Massachusetts schools collectively serve fewer children.