Enrollment increase

Our official enrollment count indicates we have 166 more students in our schools this year. For 2008-2009 total enrollment for Springfield Public Schools is 23,968 students compared with enrollment of 23,802 students in 2007-2008.

Most of that growth is at the elementary level with an increase of 173 students. We also noted an increase of 44 middle school students but enrollment declined by 51 students at the high school level bringing us to a net increase of 166 students.

Growth in several southwest Springfield schools reinforces the need for the new elementary school currently under construction. McBride Elementary School has 69 additional students and Gray Elementary School increased by 31 students. These buildings are already struggling to accommodate their large numbers.

Other examples of schools in the southwest that are growing include: Carver Middle School with 37 additional students; Cherokee Middle School with 53 more students; and Kickapoo High School with 40 additional students.

We’ve added four kindergarten teachers to accommodate the elementary growth in the district and are requesting a fifth teacher be hired to help address the increase of 120 students who are English Language Learners. The hiring of these additional teachers is important in advancing the district’s strategic objective of reducing student-teacher ratios.