Enrollment is down 159 students, which could cost the district nearly $1 million in state and federal funding, it was learned Monday evening, Aug. 17, at a virtual/live meeting of the West Liberty School Board of Education held at the District Board Room.
Superintendent Dr. Diego Giraldo presented the initial enrollment analysis as of Aug. 14 counts, pointing out the district has enrolled 1,228 students compared to 1,387 students were were certified as of Oct. 1, 2019.
The Early Learning Center has 159 enrolled compared to 178 last year with 30 students planning to be taught totally virtual while 129 have accepted the hybrid model of 50/50 live and remote.
At the elementary school, 461 students have enrolled compared to 543 in 2019, 113 going remote while 348 want the hybrid model.
At the middle school, enrollment is down just 11 students at 273 with 68 students going the virtual route while 215 want the hybrid model.
At the high school, enrollment is down by nearly 50 students, with 335 signing on compared to 382 last year. A total of 73 of those students will desire virtual education while 262 want the hybrid classroom/remote model.
Dr. Girlado said school secretaries are calling families that have not yet enrolled this year and said he expects more students to attend West Liberty Schools and register before the Sept. 8 opening day of school. Look for more on the board meeting in next week's Index.