Since 2019, the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) has lost 1,167 students.
For the next five fiscal years, the district predicts its student enrollment to decrease because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a decrease in birthrates (local, state, and national) and students attending private schools.
The district's budget director, Paige Cooley, said student enrollment numbers are slowly decreasing, which she noted affects the budget in terms of state funding. Cooley said more students equals more state funding, while fewer students equal less state funding. To clarify, Cooley said if enrollment numbers are too high, schools can become overcrowded and classes will become less student-centered.
The district's current enrollment numbers are not of concern at this time and will not affect the mileage rate or ESPLOST projects. The mileage rate and ESPLOST projects are from tax revenue.
She said if enrollment does change, the district will adjust ESPLOST projects as needed.
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The numbers
Currently the district has 36,023 students enrolled for the 20th day of the school year and about1,050 students enrolled in the E-Learning Academy. Compared to last year, it is a decrease of 1,032 students.
Enrollment for fiscal year 2020-21 was 37,055, a decrease of 35 students from the previous fiscal year. The district expects to enroll 3,672 kindergarten students for the upcoming school year.
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Compared to the 2021-22 school year, the district saw a 2.49% decrease or decline of 3,921 students. Cooley said the district expects to lose 189 students in grades 1-5 and lose about three students by the 20th day in school in grades 6-8. Meanwhile, the district expects to gain about 87 students in grades 9-12.
Overall, the district expects to lose about 150 students next year compared to the 20th day total. By the year 2025, the district projects to enroll 35,714 students.
Cooley said private schools gained 537 students compared to last school year. For fiscal year 2021, 6,180 students were in private schools compared to 6,717 enrolled for 2022.
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She said the uptick in private school enrollment in Savannah directly relates to the drop in public schools. "Private school enrollment was in a downward trend to fiscal year 2020 and they've shown an upward trend since fiscal year 2021."
Coming up with the enrollment numbers
In determining the numbers, the district works with school principals and staff to determine student enrollment numbers. Cooley said an example of this would be a new apartment complex being built for new families in the area and district leaders would be alerted from school principal on a possible influx of students.
She added that the additional numbers will be added to the enrollment numbers.
"They alert us that there may be quite a few more students that may be attending their school next year, and they then it is sent back to the Budget Office," Cooleysaid. "We compile all that information."
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Once the numbers are complete, department heads, divisions of school districts, associate superintendentsand the human resource personnel meet and give feedback on the enrollment numbers. After approval from district leaders, the finalized enrollment numbers are givento leaders at school sites.
What's Next
Cooley said the district is looking at growth in westChatham County in places such asPooler as areas of enrollment increases.District one board member Denise Grabowski raised the question about enrollment and said how Chatham County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Georgia, but it also includes families and retirees from the North.
"There are a lot of retirees, and there are also a lot of families who are moving here from other parts of the country as well who come with children that already have something for us to be very cognizant of and perhaps take a look," she said.
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The school district said currently there isn't a concern with enrollment, but will be watching how the numbers will play out for the upcoming year and for those to come.
Bianca Moorman is the education reporter. Reach her at BMoorman@gannett.com or 912-239-7706. Find her on Twitter @biancarmoorman.
