Enrollment numbers and per pupil spending

October 9, 2012

 

A breakdown of the numbers – This information was obtained from Carroll County Public Schools.  An update on these figures and other data will be presented at tomorrow evening’s Board of Education meeting.

 

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In 2005, CCPS total school system enrollment was 28,194 FTE students.   In 2011, the enrollment declined to 26,838.  In other words, the system lost a total of 1,356 students over a seven year period.

 

The breakdown in student enrollment over seven years is as follows:

·         Elementary schools gained 192 students;

·         Middle schools lost 741 students; and

·         High schools lost a total of 815 students

 

Currently, the total student enrollment compared to total building capacity across our system is 87% utilization using 100% of total building capacity for students.

 

How many open seats exist?

·         Elementary schools have 1,721 seats open across 23 schools,

·         Middle schools have 683 seats open across 9 schools, and

·         High schools have 1,637 seats open over 8 schools

 

Will this decline continue?

CCPS student enrollment projections show that over the next five years we will continue to lose an average of 250 students a year. Enrollment projections show flat growth for a couple of years, and then we begin to experience an increase in student enrollments of about 200 students a year for the rest of the cycle. Of course, all of these numbers could change dramatically if the housing market rebounds and we begin to experience a positive migration into the county.


How does student enrollment break down to individual schools?

Currently, if you eliminate capacity of the building that is dedicated for special education students and not available for other programs:

 

·         Eight schools have student enrollments that are over 100% of the building’s capacity,

·         Eleven schools have enrollments between 90% and 100% of the school’s capacity,

·         Twelve schools have student enrollments that are between 80% and 90% of their student capacity,

·         Six schools are between 70% and 80% of total capacity, and

·         Three schools are less than 70% of their total capacity

While school enrolment is not balanced across our system, all schools are operating fine. If we performed a system-wide redistricting, we would be moving students just to move them.

Below is just one example of costs comparison…

 

 

Gerstell Academy – Spring 2012

 

Kindergarten                             $ 15,000

1^st – 6^th grades                         $ 15,860

7^th – 8^th grades                         $ 16,500

9^th – 12^th grades                       $ 17,000

These figures do not include any special education or transportation cost.

 

Carroll County Public Schools – 2011/2012 school year

 

Gross Budgeted per pupil (including special education & transportation costs):   $12,455

 

Per pupil (less special education costs):   $11,072

 

Per pupil (less transportation costs):   $10,350