latest enrollment report.
Data released at the Board of Education’s regular meeting Wednesday a slight increase in the unaudited enrollment from the last three years. The unofficial 2023-24 number is 3,955 students, up from 3,932 last year, 3,898 students in 2021 — the district’s low dating back past 2000 — and 3,904 students at the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020. Assistant Superintendent for Teaching, Learning and Student Services Judy Stanley:
Stanley was also pleased to see increased attendance — a point of emphasis for the district for several years.
The district continues to become more diverse, with 49 percent of students listed as Hispanic and over five percent listed as mixed. Almost a third of the students — over 1,100 — are considered bilingual based on headcount. The district is also seeing more “contact hours” in career and technical education, and it’s reporting an increase in the number of students eating free meals. Over 49 percent of students are in the free meal headcount.
In other business, board members received a safety and security presentation from administrators at Jones Early Childhood Development Center, Timmerman Elementary, Emporia Middle School and Emporia High. Administrators detailed building-specific initiatives, including but not limited to arrival and dismissal procedures at Jones, reunification drills at Timmerman, hall passes at Emporia Middle School and after-school procedures at Emporia High.
Board members also approved a resolution to have a public hearing at 6:30 pm Dec. 13 for the future of the one-time Kansas Avenue school building as its tenants vacate.
The district also posted an online notice at usd253.org regarding an upcoming public hearing on the district’s proposed policy for nonresident student enrollment, also known as open enrollment. The hearing will be at 6:35 pm Nov. 8 at Mary Herbert.
