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Local News

Enrollment roller coaster: Fewer students in 34 school districts

10/23/2009 8:00:02 PM

Comments (12)

By Matthew Stolle
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

In the competition for students, not all school districts are created equal.

• Database: Search historical and projected enrollment numbers

In the past decade, declining enrollment has been a fact of life for most of the 34 school districts in southeastern Minnesota, but the pain has not been distributed evenly, a review of state data shows.

Of the 24 districts that saw declining enrollment, nine of them were staggered by losses of 20 percent or more.

Winona lost 28 percent of average daily enrollment of students during the past decade, Caledonia and Spring Grove lost 25 percent each, and Kingsland saw a 32 percent decline, according to figures provided by the Minnesota Department of Education.

The reasons for the declines are complex, but at the root is that birth rates have declined.

Some school districts have grown in the decade. Pine Island and Dover-Eyota each gained students, largely because of their ability to siphon students from Rochester through open enrollment.

And since revenue is directly tied to students, when the students disappeared so did the revenue, forcing many districts to cut staff, teachers and programs. Some are contemplating entering into consortium arrangements to cut costs. Kingsland is considering a four-day school week, with the fifth day a "digital" day.

Kingsland School Board chairman Mitch Lentz said officials have cut staff and programs as well as restructured what they could. "Every cut that every other school district has made in the state, we've made also, with the exception of we haven't gone to a four-day school week," he said.

At the other end of the spectrum have been the select group of enrollment sweepstakes winners: Rochester and Austin have grown 3 percent and 4 percent respectively. Kasson-Mantorville and Byron by 15 percent and 18 percent.

And at the very top of the heap, according to the state, stands Houston, with a galloping enrollment growth of 223 percent, by virtue of its online school, the Minnesota Virtual Academy.

"We're adding and changing in dynamic ways, and it's trying to meet the need of a variety of different students," said Houston superintendent Kim Ross.

All superintendents will tell you its better to grow than to shrink. But even growth can bring complications, especially if it comes by way of open enrollment. In February 2008, voters in Dover-Eyota School District rejected a $9 million building expansion program, in part because some opposed building new capacity to handle growing enrollment fueled by students coming from Rochester. From 2000, enrollment there has grown 17 percent.

"It played a role," said Dover-Eyota superintendent Bruce Klaehn.

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There are 12 comments - Display All Comments

Hugh_Bric
e
Rocehster, MN

Posted on 10/24/2009 at 6:53:36 AM

>>> Of the 24 districts that saw declining enrollment, nine of them were staggered by losses of 20 percent or more.

On the positive side, you would think those 9 districts saw a decrease of 20% or more in labor costs?

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Duke
Rochester, MN

Posted on 10/24/2009 at 10:57:21 AM

The cost of heat, gas, electric, wear and tear and cost of living have all went up but probably not 20% or more in that same period of time. Some schools districts, like Rochester, need to learn to cut admin costs...not raise 15%.

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easterner
Rochester, MN

Posted on 10/24/2009 at 11:44:57 AM

It looks like Rochester Public Schools had an increase in enrollment (3%) over the last decade. However, what was the growth of the city? How many students were there living in Rochester in 2000-01, and what percentage of them went to RPS? How many students are living in Rochester in 2009-10, and what percentage of them are going to RPS?

Of course there will be an increase from 10 years ago because the city has grown! But I daresay the available student population has grown much more than 3% in those ten years. Elliot?

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alf_neuma
n
Rochester, Mn

Posted on 10/25/2009 at 6:03:05 PM

In the 2008-2009 school year ISD 535 had an enrollment of 16,019 students at the beginning of the year. (During the year this averaged 15,856 students) One can estimate the number of students in the district during the 2008-09 year by adding together the enrollment of the private, charter, home and public school enrollments and then including the students who opted out of the district and subtracting those that came in.

Those numbers are:
Private -> 2,710
Charter -> 357
Home school -> 424
Into district-> -222
Out of district -> 1199
Public school -> 16,019
Total students ->20,487

The biggest potential for gain for the district would be to retain the 1199 students who are opting to go primarily to Byron (163), Dover-Eyota (440), Pine Island and Stewartville. Not too long ago the district had a net inflow, not a loss. The outflow has been increasing. It will be stagnant until the surrounding districts increase their facilities, or until the online school concept comes to this district. That could cause enrollments to crater.

Hope that gives a little estimate of the district.

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300shoes
rochester, mn

Posted on 10/25/2009 at 8:59:43 PM

For all the kids who leave, there are always more that come in to replace them. Always.

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easterner
Rochester, MN

Posted on 10/25/2009 at 9:17:33 PM

Dallemand said that he was going to bring all of them back. All means all.

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easterner
Rochester, MN

Posted on 10/25/2009 at 9:18:26 PM

Correction: Dallemand BRAGGED that he was going to bring all of them back. All means all.

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prohibiti
on_harms
Oronoco, MN

Posted on 10/26/2009 at 12:51:05 PM

Easterner do you mean all as in private and charter schools too?

Now that would be interesting.

Good Luck Mr. Dallemand

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MRRM
rochester, MN

Posted on 10/26/2009 at 1:10:18 PM

300 shoes writes that “For all the kids who leave, there are always more that come in to replace them.” Alf writes that there are 1199 students who leave Rochester and enroll in other public schools. Does that mean that 1199 or more choose to open enroll in RPS? Where can we find those numbers? (A quick search of the district website did not provide me with that information.)

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alf_neuma
n
Rochester, Mn

Posted on 10/26/2009 at 1:25:42 PM

The optin/optout numbers are from the department of education district “report card”. They are the students going outside the district and do not include those within the district opting for different schools. The numbers used to be published each school board session in the minutes. Since Dallemand arrived the numbers have been conspicuously absent. The business office at ISD 535 is supposed to track this item. PS: Those are last years numbers, not this years. I do not anticipate they improved.

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MRRM
rochester, MN

Posted on 10/26/2009 at 7:32:46 PM

Thanks for pointing me to the Department of Education report card, Alf. It is interesting to note that while 1199 students left RPS through open enrollment, only 222 students from other districts enrolled in Rochester schools.

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easterner
Rochester, MN

Posted on 10/26/2009 at 11:10:17 PM

Yes, prohibition, all meant all. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $4 million worth.

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Houston High School students make their way to classes and lockers during passing time. Enrollment is up at the school with the addition of on-line students.