Students shuffle among public school districts

Snohomish County public schools are reporting a mix of enrollment gains and losses this fall.

Lake Stevens and Snohomish added more than 160 students each, while Edmonds lost 130 and Monroe 255. Several other districts posted flat enrollment.

School leaders around the county offer different theories to explain their enrollment trends. Many of the losses are blamed on families' moving because of job losses or trouble keeping up with house payments.

Fewer students means less money for districts. On average, the state pays more than $5,000 for each full-time student.

The Edmonds School District, which closed two elementary schools this fall because of declining enrollment, lost 135 students. Even so, the district ended up with about 80 more students than it had projected.

District officials believe the opening of a new $100 million Lynnwood High School played a role in keeping enrollment losses at a minimum.

Lynnwood High opened with 86 more students than expected. Many were from within the district but had attended schools elsewhere.

“It has been like, ‘Build it and they will come,'” said DJ Jakala, a school district spokeswoman. “They have been coming from the north, south and east.”

Marysville lost 89 students.

Much of the enrollment loss is blamed on the closures of a window and a boat manufacturing plant that idled hundreds of workers in the Arlington and Marysville areas.

“That appears to be a big factor,” said Larry Nyland, the school district superintendent.

Nyland said the district appeared to pick up some students who had previously attended private schools, another sign of the tight economy.

Monroe lost more than 250 students, a pattern school officials observed throughout the course of the last school year, said Rosemary O'Neil, a school district spokeswoman.

There are a variety of reasons, largely related to the economic downturn.

“As I drive around the community, I see a lot of people have moved and there are still ‘for sale' signs in their yards,” she said. “They are leaving before a new family buys them.”

The Snohomish School District picked up more than 200 students this fall and had to hire additional staff to meet the demand. Most of the gains were at the middle and high school level.

Mike Sullivan, the district's finance director, said Snohomish expected flat enrollment for the fall.

“We are analyzing why we had the growth,” he said.

Lake Stevens added more than 165 students, mostly in its elementary schools. For instance, first-grade enrollment increased to 572, up 43 students. Kindergarten also was up 40 students.

“We are seeing developments that opened four and five years ago are now actually sending their kids to our schools,” said Arlene Hulten, a school district spokeswoman.

The Everett School District gained about 110 students.

“We saw the greatest increase in the younger grades, so we are happy about that,” said Mary Waggoner, a school district spokeswoman.