Around the Golden Triangle, enrollment at public schools is up, while some private schools have experienced a decrease.
The explanations are several. Multiple public schools instituted or expanded pre-kindergarten programs, prompting a quick boost in enrollment. Some private schools lost students from military families when those families left Columbus Air Force Base.
But the most frequently reported explanation for the dip in private school enrollment is the economy.
“We had a big bump years ago when the economy was in good shape. About 675 (students),” said Tommy Gunn, headmaster of Heritage Academy in Columbus. “It fell in 2008. People start looking at it like ”Can I afford this?””
Gunn says Heritage”s enrollment has traditionally hovered around 575 students for the past 30 years. It fell from 611 for the 2009-2010 year to 568 at the beginning of this year.
No public school officials cited an influx of private school students in relation to their respective enrollment increases, but Columbus Municipal Schools did see the biggest increase, rising from 4,272 students in 2009-2010 to 4,507 in the first week of the 2010-2011 year.
Superintendent Dr. Del Phillips attributes the increase to the steady improvement of Columbus schools.
“I think increased enrollment trends display that students and parents value the changes our system has made in recent years. Our teachers and administrators are focused on student achievement and the individual academic growth of each child,” he said.
CMSD added two pre-kindergarten classes this year with a maximum of 20 students in each.
Two Columbus private schools reported an increase in enrollment, adding 16 students to begin this year with 299. School enrollments fluctuate throughout the school year as students come and go, and Immanuel Center for Christian Education Headmaster Bob Williford believes the school will reach a milestone this year.
“Our enrollment has been increasing for the past few years and we”ve targeted that 300 number. I think we”ll have it before the week is out,” he said.
Sherri Musgrove, a counselor at Victory Christian Academy, credits the Christian emphasis for a 22-student increase this year, but Annunciation Catholic School began the year seven students shy of last year”s number.
Private school enrollment is down around the Golden Triangle. Starkville Academy began the year down 21 students despite adding 40 pre-kindergarteners. Oak Hill Academy in West Point saw a 58-student drop.
“We”ve lost several job opportunities in the West Point area and some (families) have moved,” said Oak Hill Headmaster Bill Miley.
All local public school districts are up. Lowndes County Schools rose from 5,145 to 5,237 students over the summer.
Caledonia Middle and High schools saw a combined 131-student decrease, but Caledonia Elementary School made up for the loss with a 233-student jump. Caledonia Elementary Principal Roger Hill hypothesizes his school”s increase may be due to high test scores on the Mississippi Curriculum Test. The school ranked as High Performing on the state”s accountability system in 2008.
New Hope Elementary also saw a near-200 student increase. The total number of students in West Lowndes schools rose by 26.
Starkville schools” enrollment rose by 118. West Point added 27 students. Clay County and Oktibbeha County schools each increased enrollment by fewer than 10 students.
The Mississippi School for Math and Science also reported a slight increase of approximately 10 students.
Enrollment at all local schools is expected to fluctuate throughout the year.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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