The Paton-Churdan School District saw a downward trend in terms of its overall certified enrollment numbers.

The district reports their actual enrollment on October 1st when the count was taken, P-C had 175 students, which was a decrease of eight students compared to the previous school year. Principal Annie Smith explains the main reason for the drop in overall enrollment.

“We had a larger (senior) class graduate and just a little bit smaller (senior) class coming with this class. (Then) some bigger numbers coming, the preschool and younger numbers (which are not counted for certified enrollment)”  

The enrollment report also shows the number of students open enrolling out of the district is an increase of three students compared to last school year at 43, and open enrolling into the district this year accounted for 45 students, and only one student decreased from last year. Smith talks about how last year’s senior class played a role in that as well. As for the number of students that live within the district, attending P-C was also down by 11 students compared to last year at 132. Smith talks about that change being out of their control.

“We just had a few families that just moved, based off of their circumstances and what was right for their family, they just moved. I would say all districts around us have those same things.”

The certified enrollment is what the state uses for its per pupil funding that is allocated to each school district for its general fund for the following school year.