Schools

Pasco School Enrollment is Down

State and local funding is based on the number of students enrolled at each district.

When Pasco’s first school bells rang on the 2011-12 school year Aug. 22 there were 173 fewer students reporting back to classes.

While the overall drop in numbers reflects countywide turnout, some schools in the Land O’ Lakes area did see increases in the total number of students reporting on Day One.

According to school district counts, Connerton and Oakstead elementary schools saw enrollment increases this year over last. Pine View, Denham Oaks and Lake Myrtle all saw their attendance counts drop year over year for the first day.

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On the middle school level, Rushe saw a decline while Pine View grew by a few students. Land O’ Lakes and Sunlake high schools both witnessed slight increases. Countryside Montessori Academy and Imagine — Land O’ Lakes’ two charter schools — also saw their enrollment numbers rise slightly.

Countywide the total drop of 173 students is a bit concerning, said Summer Romagnoli, the district’s spokeswoman. State and local funding are tied to the number of students a school district has enrolled, she said. That funding amounts to about $6,832 per student. The drop of 173 adds up to nearly $1.2 million.

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A potential drop in funding is a “major concern for us,” Romagoli wrote in an email. “Luckily, they don’t take the official count for money until mid-October. Hopefully, we will grow by then.”

The following reflects the first-day enrollment at Land O’ Lakes area schools:

School Last year's enrollment This year's enrollment Connerton 750 813 Denham Oaks 792 726 Lake Myrtle 751 716 Oakstead 944 980 Pine View 699 675 Charles Rushe 1,307 1,253 Pine View Middle 799 822 Land O' Lakes High 1,559 1,600 Sunlake 1,580 1,597 Countryside Montessori Academy 205 215 Imagine School 486 502


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