By Alan Sorensen
Havre Public Schools declining enrollment is emblematic of student losses suffered in recent years by school districts throughout Hill County and along the Hi-Line.
Figures released by Dr. Kirk Miller, superintendent of Havre Public Schools, show that Havres 2.8 percent decline from last fall to this fall is among the lowest in the area. The combined loss experienced by Havre and its neighboring schools since October 1998 is 3 percent.
The net decline in Havre Public Schools K-12 student population from October 1998 and October 1999 is 62 students. That number represents the difference between the number of students who left the district and those who moved into the district. It also reflects the ongoing trend of graduating seniors outnumbering incoming kindergartners.
The figures compiled by the district show that most of the students who are no longer attending Havre schools moved to other Montana towns or out of state completely.
Following is a break-down of student reasons for leaving Havre schools:
Noncompliance with attendance and credit policy, 7 students;
Family relocation to
a. Havre area reservation, 5;
b. Havre area public school, 8;
c. Montana public school, 51;
d. Out-of-state public school, 25;
Long-term illness/condition, 2;
Transfer to private or parochial school, 2;
Reasons other than those listed, 16.
Area schools, their student numbers for October 1997, October 1998, October 1999, plus or minus difference between 98 and 99 numbers, and percentage gain or loss from last fall to this fall are:
Chinook, 480, 475, 452, -23, -4.8 percent;
KG, 156, 144, 128, -16, -11.1 percent;
Cottonwood, 17, 15, 10, 5, 33.3 percent;
Davey, 16, 12, 17, +5, +41.7 percent;
Box Elder, 302, 332, 329, -3, -.9 percent;
Blue Sky, 166, 170, 155, -15, -8.8 percent;
Havre, 2,316, 2,248, 2,186, -62, -2.8 percent;
Chester, 306, 281, 259, -22, -7.8 percent;
Rocky Boy, 510, 526, 549, +23, +4.4 percent;
J-I, 130, 104, 92, -12, -11.5 percent;
The total decline among the student populations of Hi-Line-area schools from 1997 to 98 was 92 students. The decline from 1998 to 1999 was 130.
The figures demonstrate that declining enrollments are spread throughout all grade levels and are occurring throughout the area.
