FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2001
Student enrollment in the Madison Metropolitan School District for the 2001-02 school year is 24,893, -- a decrease of 194 students - according to the official enrollment count conducted on the third Friday in September, as required by state law.
However, the 194-student decrease is almost totally attributable to the suspension this year of the four-year-old kindergarten program, which enrolled 186 students last year. Thus the decline for all other school enrollments is only eight students.
The total enrollment is 224 students higher than the District's projected student count for this fall.
"With our enrollment essentially remaining the same as last year, we are likely seeing a leveling off of our projected enrollment decline," says Superintendent Art Rainwater. "This is good news because current state revenue caps make it especially difficult on districts with declining enrollments."
The elementary school level accounts for much of the decline, dropping 331 students from a year ago, 145 beyond the suspended four-year-old kindergarten. The middle school (grades 6-8) count is down only 48. On the other side, high school enrollment is up 185 students compared to last year.
SCHOOLS 00-01 01-02 DIFFERENCE % DIFFERENCE Elementary 11,278 10,947 -331 -2.93% Middle school 5,765 5,717 - 48 -0.83% High school 8,044 8,229 +185 +2.29% TOTAL 25,087 24,893 -194 -0.77%
The four-year-old kindergarten program has been suspended for this year while a study to determine the feasibility of a similar program open to all four-year-olds is completed.
Year to Year Comparison:
ACTUAL DIFFERENCE FROM
YEAR ENROLLMENT PREVIOUS YEAR
2001-02 24,893* -194
2000-01 25,087 +144
1999-00 24,943 -170
1998-99 25,113 -214
1997-98 25,327 +169
1996-97 25,158 +112
1995-96 25,046 +174
1994-95 24,872
* No four-year-old kindergarten program (186 students in 2000-01)
Public Information Office
545 W. Dayton St.
Madison, WI 53703
608-663-1879
email: newsrelease@madison.k12.wi.us
Last Modified: 2001-10-02
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