Enrollment, old problems same for U-46

Just 150 more kids are occupying desks in Elgin Area School District U-46 this fall, a new total of 41,453 students.

The current year enrollment data, released for the first time Monday, shows surges in some schools' numbers and out drops in others.

The bottom line? U-46 is in a similar predicament as last year.

Of the 11 campuses cited as most overcrowded last year by a capital planning and facilities study, seven have gotten more packed. Three others have lost a number of students, and one stayed the same.

Several parents at Monday's school board meeting expressed frustrations that a solution to overcrowding at some campuses is nearly two years away.

"We were told again and again we'd have an answer by 2010-11 school year," Nature Ridge Elementary parent Beverly Jaszczurowski said. "... We're asking for a fix."

According to the Sept. 30 figures, 89 more students enrolled in the district's 40 elementary schools this year.

Enrollment dropped by 159 students at the district's eight middle schools, and grew by 220 students at its five high schools.

The study, conducted by two outside firms, found the schools between 101 percent and 130 percent capacity according to last year's Sept 30th data.

Hillcrest was deemed the most overcrowded last year, at 130 percent capacity with 655 students.

Lincoln Elementary in Hoffman Estates, Coleman in Elgin and Oakhill in Streamwood were next in line, each between 112 percent and 113 percent capacity. Nature Ridge, with 775 students, was at 106 percent capacity.

This year's numbers found that Hillcrest gained just one student in a year's time. Lincoln grew by 27 students, but Coleman shrunk by 11 and Oakhill by 60.

Fox Meadow, at 101 percent capacity last year, gained 49 students this year. Nature Ridge kept its enrollment at 775.

Last Tuesday, interim Director of Operations Jim Feuerborn outlined a plan to alleviate overcrowding at Hillcrest for next fall.

Instead of redrawing boundaries for the west Elgin school, numbers will be reduced by opening an English Language Learners program next year at neighboring Creekside Elementary.

Feuerborn called the move a "temporary fix." Boundary changes, expected to be implemented in fall 2011, will be examined for the entire district in the coming months.

In the meantime, the district has rolled out new, lower class size initiatives. General education kindergarten through third-grade classes now have a student-teacher ratio of 25:1. Fourth through sixth grades are at 28:1. Old targets were set at 28:1 for kindergarten through second grade and 29:1 for third- through sixth-grade classes.

Along with no fix for Nature Ridge's overcrowding, Jaszczurowski, as well as several other school parents, told the board that class sizes aren't at the targets they were told to expect.

The parents are hoping to meet with the school board on an informal basis to find a solution in the coming months.