Alabama public schools have lost nearly 12,000 students since last fall, a drop that could cost districts state funding for as many as 800 positions, including teachers and school administrators.
State Superintendent Eric Mackey shared the preliminary enrollment numbers with state school board members Thursday (Oct. 8). He said the losses are affecting small rural districts and some of Alabama’s largest school systems.
Public school enrollment is down to about 702,000 students from 714,000 last year, Mackey said.
‘Big deal’ across the state
Mackey said the decline will remain substantial even after school districts finish correcting their enrollment records.
“There’s no way that we don’t have a significant loss in students,” he told board members.
The decline is more than double last year’s loss of 5,800 students, which state officials said was the largest single-year decrease in at least 40 years.
The state cut funding for 366 positions this year because of declining enrollment last year, Mackey said. He expects the latest losses could mean funding cuts for another 750 to 800 positions next year.
“That is a big deal for us across the state,” Mackey said. “We obviously want to plan for that.”
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Trisha Powell Crain and originally published by Alabama Daily News.
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