Declining Enrollment
The whining mantra today is "declining enrollment - we need more money" over and over again by teachers and administrators.
A thoughtful analysis should look not just at the kids that elect to attend public schools, but at TOTAL child count in any school district versus total public school enrollment. This data should be available in every district annual demographic study required by CA. This analysis should examin the trend lines, and will often demonstrate there are MORE and More actual children living in a District each year (censu count = impeccable enumeration) but declining public school participation (declining enrollment.)
The point here is simple, more children living in the district should mean more in the public schools. Unless the public schools programs and performance is so reprehensible that parents vote with their wallets and feet to enroll at private schools and distance learning/home schooling.
In the Huntington Beach City School District their own annual demographic study tells us on 63% of total child count age 5 to 14 attend their public schools. And SHOCKING NEWS in this same report tells us they project growing child population count in the District and DECLINING HBCSD public school participation down to only 59% in five years. Yes, over FORTY PERCENT of all children living in HBVSD boundaris will choose NOT to participate in the HBCSD public schools. This is an almost FIFTY PERCENT non-participation rate.
The issue is not declining enrollment. The issue is a public school system that is driving parents and children away every year at an alarming and increasing rate. All the money in the State can't make parents enroll their children in schools and programs they find unpalatable.
We must start looking at TOTAL child population count in school districts at the elementary level compared to public school participation rates as a measure of parent satisfaction. The elementary level is important because school attendance is mandatory and eliminates high school drop out problems.
THX John
John Briscoe
Trustee, Ocean View School Board
The whining mantra today is "declining enrollment - we need more money" over and over again by teachers and administrators.
A thoughtful analysis should look not just at the kids that elect to attend public schools, but at TOTAL child count in any school district versus total public school enrollment. This data should be available in every district annual demographic study required by CA. This analysis should examin the trend lines, and will often demonstrate there are MORE and More actual children living in a District each year (censu count = impeccable enumeration) but declining public school participation (declining enrollment.)
The point here is simple, more children living in the district should mean more in the public schools. Unless the public schools programs and performance is so reprehensible that parents vote with their wallets and feet to enroll at private schools and distance learning/home schooling.
In the Huntington Beach City School District their own annual demographic study tells us on 63% of total child count age 5 to 14 attend their public schools. And SHOCKING NEWS in this same report tells us they project growing child population count in the District and DECLINING HBCSD public school participation down to only 59% in five years. Yes, over FORTY PERCENT of all children living in HBVSD boundaris will choose NOT to participate in the HBCSD public schools. This is an almost FIFTY PERCENT non-participation rate.
The issue is not declining enrollment. The issue is a public school system that is driving parents and children away every year at an alarming and increasing rate. All the money in the State can't make parents enroll their children in schools and programs they find unpalatable.
We must start looking at TOTAL child population count in school districts at the elementary level compared to public school participation rates as a measure of parent satisfaction. The elementary level is important because school attendance is mandatory and eliminates high school drop out problems.
THX John
John Briscoe
Trustee, Ocean View School Board
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