District 62 board briefed on downward enrollment trend

Des Plaines Elementary District 62 is likely to see enrollment fall by 250 students over the next eight years, after which it will stabilize, Nelson Gray, assistant superintendent of Business Services, told the board at a recent meeting. He said a 10-year enrollment projection report done by John Kasarda looked at registered births data for the Des Plaines areas, trends in kindergarten enrollments, housing turnover and student migration/transfer patterns.

Central, Forest, Orchard Place and Algonquin enrollments are predicted to drop, while Cumberland is projected to grow because of planned residential development at the former Littelfuse property. All other schools are expected to remain stable.