Florida school enrollment drops

Florida school enrollment drops

NOVEMBER 25, 2008 - Statewide, the majority of school districts have seen a decrease in enrollment and sources say that Florida schools lost nearly 24,000 students this year alone. Across Florida, 48 out of the 67 county school districts saw declines in student enrollment this year, according to the state's Department of Education.

The state requires enrollment figures from each school district to calculate funding for that district in October and February. Fewer students mean less money from the state. Some districts have already cut staff and other programs due to a lack of funds.

Florida enrollments had been on a steady rise as recently as two years ago when a decline began. Officials say the school enrollment bubble burst because of the poor economy, which has forced people to leave Florida for job prospects elsewhere. Also, insecurity over jobs and finances has kept families from moving to Florida. An influx of students from other states and foreign countries typically fed the state's school enrollment growth.

The LeRoy Collins Institute, an independent, nonpartisan facility studying enrollment changes, drew the following conclusion about enrollment in its most recent report, the Tough Choices Update 2008.

"There is no certain explanation for the decline. The most likely is that the run-up of real estate prices, combined with two bad hurricane seasons and the insurance increases that followed, influenced young working families with school-age children to locate elsewhere."