Enrollment growth continues, to over 29,000 students
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Lake Washington School District’s enrollment grew by 1,178 students last year, from 27,830 students in 2015 to 29,008 on October 1, 2016. Based on September counts, it appears Lake Washington is now the third largest district in the state, passing the Tacoma School District. Lake Washington now trails only the Seattle and Spokane School Districts in size.
This year’s increase follows seven straight years of enrollment increases. This upward trend began in the 2009-10 school year after a decade of little change in enrollment. The average increase has been over 700 students each year, the size of a middle school or large elementary school. Enrollment growth is forecasted to continue. The district’s Long-Term Facilities Planning Task Force developed recommendations, which the district is implementing, to provide facilities for this growing enrollment. Source: LWSD "Connections" newsletter |
In June 2011, the Lake Washington School District projected that there would be 28,173 students enrolled in 2016-17. Instead, this year there are 29,008 students. The district got about 800 more students than they had projected five years ago.*
ReplyDeletePut another way, there were 25,130 students enrolled in the district in June 2011 and the enrollment was expected to increase by 3,000 students in 2016-17. Instead the enrollment increased by 3,878. The district's 5-year projection was too low by nearly 30%.
These extra 878 students could fill 2 elementaries, 1 middle school or half of a high school. Voters just passed a bond measure in April 2016 that builds 3 elementaries and 1 middle school. The unexpected enrollment increase this year alone will fill up most of the new schools (that haven't even been built.)
It is so frustrating to see the never-ending stupidity of the superintendent and school board in this district. Parents, teachers, students - don't be surprised when we have overcrowded classrooms across the district over the next decade. This school district doesn't know how to do simple math!
*For reference, check Table 1 of the Lake Washington School District's "Six-Year Capital Facilities Plan 2011-2016."