Enrollment climbing
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Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | 
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No Comments [ Add Comment ]By Amy K. Stewart
Standard-Examiner staff
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By Amy K. Stewart
Standard-Examiner staff
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By Amy K. Stewart
Standard-Examiner staff
Enrollment at five Top of Utah school districts has exceeded projections, with three districts tallying double the increase officials had predicted.
Weber School District, with an enrollment of 30,164, has 1,036 more students than last fall. District officials had predicted an increase of about 500.
A continuous enrollment influx will require more school buildings to house the students, which could mean asking the public to approve another round of bond funding a few years earlier than planned.
"It will mean we will have to revisit our capital program," said Weber district Superintendent Michael Jacobsen.
Voters approved$65 million in bond financing for Weber district in June 2006. However, the bond didn't result in a tax increase because of the growing number of homes and businesses coming into the area.
Jacobsen said he would expect the next bond would also mean no tax increase.
"We've been able to do this with no tax increase," he said. "I think we could do that again."
Weber district officials have been thinking about a June 2011 bond referendum. If enrollment numbers continue to increase drastically, that date could be moved to as early as 2009, Jacobsen said.
The Weber School Board is planning a November retreat to discuss enrollment and bond issues.
By law, school districts statewide conduct their annual student counts Oct. 1. Districts then take a few weeks to compile the data before announcing it.
Some districts are in the last stage of putting together enrollment data and finalizing numbers to send to the Utah State Office of Education.
Ogden district, with 12,603 students, saw a 203-student increase this fall. Officials had projected about that much and don't expect a huge effect other than they are looking forward to the extra funding for the district.
"There will be some budget adjustments," said Ogden district Superintendent Noel Zabriskie, who added that the district hasn't decided exactly how the money will be spent. Officials are working on prioritizing.
School districts receive weighted pupil unit funding based on their enrollment counts. The state WPU for the 2007-08 school year was $2,514, an increase of 4.01 percent from the prior year.
Davis district, with 64,395 students, is up 1,563. The projected increase was 1,400.
The district is expected to have a steady increase in students for the next 20 years, said Chase Rogers, Davis district planner.
Box Elder district, with 10,931 students this fall, had a 288-student increase; district officials predicted growth of 130 to 140 students.
Box Elder district Superintendent Martell Menlove said new jobs in Box Elder County, such as at the West Liberty Foods plant in Tremonton, are causing growth. There also is new housing in Perry and Willard.
He said building capacity is OK, but that "it will be interesting to see what happens the next few years."
Morgan district increased its enrollment by 101 students to 2,184, which is about 50 more students than anticipated.
"It's a darn good thing we're building a new elementary school," said Morgan district Superintendent Morgan Wolff.
The Weber district enrollment increase is because of growth brought about by new homes in Weber County.
Freedom Elementary School, 4555 W. 5500 South, Hooper, which opened two years ago, had about 500 students. It now has 920. Capacity is 900.
"That's a huge growth area," Jacobsen said.
The district has drawn out $22 million of its allotted $65 million. It has already built Plain City Elementary School, finished the commons area and additional classrooms at Roy High School and installed air conditioning at Bonneville High School.
Weber district will take another slice of the $65 million this spring to start construction on Valley and North Ogden elementary schools, both of which are expected to open in fall 2009.
A year later, the district will start its replacement building for South Ogden Junior High.
Zabriskie said Ogden district's enrollment increase isn't because of new homes coming into Ogden. Rather, "we believe that the increase is due to greater awareness of the good things happening in our schools."
He points to the district's remodel and construction projects as just one reason why the district may be drawing more people.
He added the district is also making strides in such academic programs as its smaller learning communities at the high schools. The program steers students into an area of emphasis, much like a college major. It offers more personal attention from teachers as they collaborate on lesson plans and projects.
WPU funds can be used to increase academic action.
"Obviously, there is a monetary effect," Zabriskie said. "We feel that will allow us to continue our efforts to improve things."
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