Number of nonbinary-identifying students sees significant spike in Oregon schools

The number of Oregon students identifying as nonbinary has risen for the fourth year in a row, with a nearly 57% increase from the previous school year.

According to new educational data released by the Oregon Department of Education, more than 2,770 K-12 students identified as nonbinary during the 2022-23 school year, representing about 0.5% of the total student population.

This figure marks a 56.7% increase from the prior school year.

The addition of nonbinary as a demographic option in 2018 is seen as an important step toward gender inclusivity, and the state expects the number of nonbinary students to continue growing each year as districts update their registration forms.

While most nonbinary students were in high school, there were also dozens of kindergartners who identified as nonbinary, showing that these identities can manifest at a young age.

However, data from the 2021-22 school year revealed that the nonbinary cohort experienced a higher dropout rate compared to males and females.

Nationally, about 3% of young adults ages 18-29 identify as nonbinary, according to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, with another 2% identifying as transgender.

Although the survey did not include minors, a previous survey conducted in Oregon found that 4.8% of eighth graders and 5.5% of 11th graders identified as nonbinary.

Oregon's emphasis on inclusivity is not an isolated effort, as other states like New York City have also started counting nonbinary students and incorporating a gender-neutral designation.

In 2022, New York City reported that just 108 students out of around 1.1 million in public schools chose the gender-neutral 'X' designation.

Skeptics and those who have detransitioned have attributed the increase in children identifying as a gender different from their biological sex to factors such as 'social contagion' or gender ideology in schools.

However, it's important to note that Oregon, like many states, has been facing challenges in bringing back students after the 2020 pandemic, with statewide enrollment down by over 30,000 compared to 2019.

Despite this decline, there are positive signs for graduation rates, as the number of freshmen on track to graduate is approaching pre-pandemic levels at 83.6%.

However, student attendance remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels, with more than 38% of kids considered chronically absent, which can have negative effects on their grades, test scores, and likelihood of graduating on-time.