Olympia School District (OSD)’s Executive Director of Business & Finance, Kate Davis, discussed the current enrollment, staffing, and budget updates with the OSD Board at a Thursday meeting.
“We took a second look at enrollment projections prepared last fall by the district, taking into account the enrollment changes that have occurred since October and using the annual average as a predictor of upcoming enrollment,” detailed Davis.
“We've spent the last few weeks meeting with every principal, every department leader, reviewing their budget and their staffing,” said Davis.
The enrollment projections prepared last fall considered the enrollment changes since October and used the annual average as a predictor of upcoming enrollment.
The district included recent building projects, such as the new housing unit near McLane Elementary School, in the enrollment projections.
OSD also factored in school-specific factors associated with enrollment, such as the ALPS program at Roosevelt Elementary School and the RAMS program at Reeves Middle School.
The enrollment, staffing, and budget document stated that OSD projects to have 8,897 students enrolled in K-12 in the fall of 2024, which is down 77.5 from the school year’s current annual average.
“Enrollment trends continue to change year-by-year and month-by-month. The further out we predict, the more risk we assume. The more detailed we attempt to predict, the more risk we assume…11 students are the equivalent of 1 teacher,” written in the report.
OSD For All (OSD4All) invites interested community members to join the We Love All Schools Rally on Thursday, April 25, from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. in the field next to the Knox Building at 111 Bethel St NE.
This rally will occur before the OSD Board meeting starts on the same date.
“We love all our schools and want each one to remain open for the ‘24-’25 school year,” OSD4All’s newsletter said.
The rally is open to the public and will feature music, sign-making, and dancing. OSD4All encourages community members to show support through posters and noise-makers.
OSD4All is a nonpartisan community of students, parents, caregivers, educators, and neighbors focused on keeping all of Olympia’s schools open.
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BCBEAN
So enrollment is falling further? Birth rates are declining. Keeping all schools open is both economically and environmentally unsustainable and wasteful
Sunday, April 28 Report this