Board discusses new enrollment figures

Board discusses new enrollment figures

Zach White

According to recently released Havre Public Schools' enrollment numbers for the spring semester, student numbers in early grades are steady.

Numbers are lower in upper grades as smaller classes from a few years ago work their way through middle and high school.

According to District Clerk Zella Witter, the spring numbers are averaged with the previous fall's numbers.

In these averages, the elementary schools, K-5, have an average of nine fewer students than this time last year.

In grades 6-12, there are 15.5 fewer students than last year.

The enrollment averages are used to calculate the Average Number Belonging statistics, used in budgeting.

According to Witter, the ANB figures have fallen for the high school, but actually have gone up in the lower grades of the district.

In the 2005-2006 school year, the ANB numbers for the district were 934 in the elementary schools and 727 in the high school.

By comparison, the new numbers for this 2010-2011 year, the elementary has risen to 1,101 and the high school has fallen to 589.

These two trends are the result of smaller classes that were in the elementary schools five years ago, that are working their way out of the high school now.

Nearly all of the elementary classes now hold an average of about 150 students.

This year's high school senior class average is only 115 students.

Lower than that is this year's eighth-grade class, with an average of only 110 students.

In a few years, these small classes will graduate, and the growing elementary classes will fill the higher grades.

The question on many minds is: Will the enrollment in kindergarten and other elementary grades remain as steady as they have for the past seven years?

According to recently released Havre Public Schools' enrollment numbers for the spring semester, student numbers in early grades are steady.

Numbers are lower in upper grades as smaller classes from a few years ago work their way through middle and high school.

According to District Clerk Zella Witter, the spring numbers are averaged with the previous fall's numbers.

In these averages, the elementary schools, K-5, have an average of nine fewer students than this time last year.

In grades 6-12, there are 15.5 fewer students than last year.

The enrollment averages are used to calculate the Average Number Belonging statistics, used in budgeting.

According to Witter, the ANB figures have fallen for the high school, but actually have gone up in the lower grades of the district.

In the 2005-2006 school year, the ANB numbers for the district were 934 in the elementary schools and 727 in the high school.

By comparison, the new numbers for this 2010-2011 year, the elementary has risen to 1,101 and the high school has fallen to 589.

These two trends are the result of smaller classes that were in the elementary schools five years ago, that are working their way out of the high school now.

Nearly all of the elementary classes now hold an average of about 150 students.

This year's high school senior class average is only 115 students.

Lower than that is this year's eighth-grade class, with an average of only 110 students.

In a few years, these small classes will graduate, and the growing elementary classes will fill the higher grades.

The question on many minds is: Will the enrollment in kindergarten and other elementary grades remain as steady as they have for the past seven years?