Nearly half of all Parisian students could be enrolled in a private school upon entering sixth grade by 2035, according to a study by the Institute for Public Policy. Currently, approximately 39% of sixth-grade students in the capital are enrolled in private schools. If current trends continue, this proportion could reach nearly 50% within the next ten years.
This trend is partly explained by the sharp decline in the birth rate observed in Paris for over a decade. The number of children is decreasing and school enrollment is gradually declining, leading to class closures, mainly in public schools, while private schools are more successful in retaining their students.
The growth of the private sector raises questions.
Between 2016 and 2024, enrollment in Parisian public schools and colleges declined significantly, while the decrease remained much more limited in the private sector. This trend is contributing to a gradual increase in the proportion of students attending private schools in the capital.
Researchers, however, warn of the potential social consequences of this trend. Private schools already enroll a significant proportion of students from privileged backgrounds, and this trend could exacerbate inequalities and school segregation between schools in Paris in the years to come.
