Enrollment drop concerns Janesville officials
JANESVILLE — Enrollment in the Janesville School District dropped more than usual between September and January, but officials don't know whether recent layoffs are the reason.
Enrollment is important because it's the basis for most state aid, a major revenue source for schools.
The district reports that it has 175 fewer students now than when students were last counted in September.
The new 4-year-old kindergarten program has propped up enrollment numbers. In kindergarten through 12th grade, however, the district reported a drop of 190 students between September and January.
The K-12 enrollment now stands at 9,758, down from 9,948. This is the first time in many years that K-12 enrollment has dropped below 10,000.
Enrollment usually drops between September and January for a variety of reasons. Last year the drop was 75. The year before, 87.
Superintendent Tom Evert called this year's decrease "significant."
Director of Student Services Karen Schulte said 328 students left the district, but others moved in. The difference is the 175.
Schulte said 95 of those who moved left Wisconsin. Eleven students moved to the Milton district, 23 to Beloit and 105 to other school districts in Wisconsin.
Twenty-five became home-schoolers. Two went to other countries.
Officials don't track parents' employment and don't know the reasons for the moves, Schulte said.
Officials are concerned that layoffs at General Motors and other local employers could lead to a bigger exodus after the school year ends in June.
Schulte is preparing to survey parents to find out how many are planning to leave.
Information about the schools and grade levels of students who plan to leave could help officials plan for possible cuts of positions, if needed, said Steve Salerno, director of administrative and human services.
The drop between September and January traditionally has come from several sources, including students who turn 18 and can legally drop out, said district comptroller Lauri Clifton.
Jan 28, 2009 at 8:52 p.m.
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With unemployment what it is now.. and more and more places reducing their work forces every week, what do you think that is going to do to enrollment this coming fall?
How do you expect to raise taxes people are already paying when they no longer have their jobs? Look around.. houses here are not selling. If you want to raise anything, better seriously look at raising the yearly fees for those who are using the schools. Those who are using the school system should be the ones paying to support it. Wasn't the lottery intended to help with this burden?
Keeping making all the improvments to the schools.. Give the teachers raises that no body else gets.. Just how long do you think this can last?
Jan 28, 2009 at 8:52 p.m.
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angels59: That's a good idea and dare I say obvious. But, I doubt downtown will do this. Why? It would mean there was a problem with THEIR system. When in doubt, blame it on GM like the rest of the city and utility companies do.
Jan 28, 2009 at 8:51 p.m.
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They should be the MOST ocncerned with the 11 who left for Milton, 23 for Beloit and the 25 who are now being homeschooled. That's about 1/3 of the decrease right there. Seems like something is wrong in the SDJ and the lay-offs are just a teeny icicle on a very large iceberg!
Jan 28, 2009 at 5:18 p.m.
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I know people are also homeschooling or sending their children to private schools because they are unhappy with the public schools. One issue that I have heard over and over is bullying in the public schools. We have never had a problem with elementary schools, but once our children have reached middle school, the real problems begin. I've also spent a day in one of the high schools and was appalled at the lack of control and respect the teachers have. Maybe the district should take a look at why these numbers have dropped and primarily which schools are losing students.
Jan 28, 2009 at 3:51 p.m.
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Unbelievable. They lost 175 kids since September. Why? "We dunnno. We counted before and when we counted again, it was 175 less." The article for Milton was pretty much the same. Apparently the actual details of why the enrollment is down really isn't that big of a deal to the so called "officials". Kids come, and they go. We really don't pay too much attention, until they make us count them.
Jan 28, 2009 at 2:57 p.m.
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I do. But I think this BRILLIANT newspaper should tell us.
Jan 28, 2009 at 2:50 p.m.
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Anybody else have a problem with this statement: "Enrollment in the Janesville School District dropped more than usual between September and January, but officials don't know whether recent layoffs are the reason." The fact an educator makes that statement worries me.
Jan 28, 2009 at 2:39 p.m.
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Obviously, we need to increase fees, or taxes to make up for the shortfall, like the city is doing for the water utilities because GM has left.
Jan 28, 2009 at 2:34 p.m.
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it was actually a great idea improving the high schools, because they needed it. "wasting money on improvements" that should not be the main focus.
Jan 28, 2009 at 12:07 p.m.
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Not a good sign. Pretty soon we will have to consider closing some schools. I am glad we wasted all of that money improving Parker and Craig. Did we really need to do that considering the economy?
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