For the fifth consecutive year, enrollment in West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools has grown. In his annual presentation to the School Board on Nov. 4 Director of Finance Brian Schultz reported that total district enrollment for 2013-14 is 4,780 students, up 119 students from 2012-13.
The increase in enrollment follows a trend identified in a spring 2012 Enrollment Study by demographer Hazel Reinhardt. The study showed that the District would see growth for the next 5-10 years. For the past three years actual enrollment has exceeded expectations, however.
The District is more closely monitoring enrollment numbers due to the Board-appointed Facilities Task Force charged with addressing current space needs within schools. In October, the Task Force asked Reinhardt to provide them with an update to her study. The update not only re-affirmed growth in the district, it showed that the growth may be even higher than expected.
A closer look at the data indicates that the rise in this year’s enrollment is a combination of resident and non-resident (open enrolled) students and that it is concentrated at the elementary level (grades K-4). Schultz told the Board that higher birth rates and families moving into the district were likely reasons for the growth. Further, more resident families are choosing to attend schools in District 197. The District’s capture rate is up 4 percent from 2009-10, with 65 percent of resident families now attending district schools over other districts, private school or charter school options.
While the increases in enrollment bring additional expenditures, they also bring the district additional state revenue.
“Higher enrollment numbers contribute to the overall financial stability of the district, which in turn allows for better long-range planning and the investment in new academic programs,” Schultz said.
Despite the increase in students, class sizes are still within targets set by the School Board. Schultz said administration would continue to monitor enrollment and class sizes throughout the year.