Geneva District 304 hires demographer to address enrollment projections

Geneva Unit District 304 has approved a demographic and housing study contract as part of its strategic planning process amid declining enrollment.

The $21,875 contract, approved Monday by school board members, is with Charles Kofron, doing business as Charles Kofron, Ph.D. LLC.

Superintendent Andy Barrett recommended the district do a demographic study. The last one the district did was in 2006.

The district’s current enrollment is 5,048. In 2004, its enrollment was 5,723.

District 303 sought requests for proposals for a demographic study in January and received five responses.

“He (Kofron) comes highly recommended,” Barrett told school board members. “He has done demographic studies for districts across the country, but it is great to know he has done many right in our area.”

The study could be completed by April or May.

Kofron will map the district using Kane County’s geographic information system parcel and address point data, add tax assessment and housing data, match addresses through 10 years of birth records from 2011 to 2021 and add student and birth counts to develop a five-year enrollment projection to 2032-33, documents show.

In the shorter term, Kofron will look at students who stay within the district from year to year to give the district information for the 2024-27 school years, documents show.

Depending on when birth records for 2022 are available from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Kofron will be able to extend the shorter projection period to the 2028-29 school year, documents show.