Libertyville D-70 enrollment dips slightly for 5th year
Sixth day enrollment figures for Libertyville Elementary District 70 remain consistent this year, following a slight downward trend.
“While we've welcomed many new students to Copeland Manor School and Highland Middle School this year, we've seen slight decreases elsewhere,” said Supt. Dr. Guy Schumacher. “With limited new housing projects in our community, what we're seeing appears to be turnover in current households. Sales are gradually increasing as the housing market advances."
Enrollment in District 70 reached 2,502 students on Aug. 29, compared to 2,511 students served in the district a year ago. That shows a minor decrease of nine students overall.
Student enrollment continues to grow at both Highland Middle School and Copeland Manor School. For the third year, Highland Middle School showed an increase in the student population, this time at 3 percent, with 979 students compared to 949 served a year ago. Copeland Manor School also saw an increase this year of 2 percent with 401 students compared to 392 students a year ago.
Highland Middle School welcomed 42 new students this year, said Kathy Dinger, the district's director of curriculum and instruction. Copeland Manor also saw an increase with 35 new students. “This is the highest enrollment experienced at the start of the school year for Copeland,” she added.
Throughout the district, 178 kindergartners started school this fall and there were 156 new students to the district in grades first through eighth, Dinger said.
The largest decrease came at Butterfield, which is seeing a 7 percent drop in students to 531 compared to 576 a year ago. Butterfield continues to house a Special Education District Of Lake County (SEDOL) classroom with 10 students who do not live within the district boundaries and are not counted for enrollment.
Rockland saw a slight decrease in enrollment going to 309 students this year compared to serving 312 last year. New this year is an Early Intervention Program run by District 70 with eight students.
And Adler Park School, which houses the districtwide gifted education and Early Childhood programs, saw no change in enrollment, settling in at 282.
A Demographic Study by a researcher with Applied Population Laboratory from the University of Wisconsin more than 10 years ago did predict District 70 enrollment would be in the low 2,500 in the 2010-11 school year. That study took into account “birth trends, population projections, age structure shifts, and the in-migration of school-age children resulting from residential development and the turnover of existing housing.” What it did not predict was an economic slump and the depressed housing market of late.
The district also is reaching out to 193 students who speak English as a second language. Those students represent 33 different languages, which is consistent with past data.
“Each year we look closely at trends as we work to address class size projections and plan for district staffing needs overall,” Schumacher noted.
This year's enrollment figures for the district do not include 40 students enrolled in the Special Education District of Lake County and private schools. These students reside within D70 boundaries but attend SEDOL classes or private schools.
Sixth day enrollment figures are collected by the Lake County Regional Office of Education.