I appreciate the opportunities afforded residents to review information, data and reports this fall: together with the Superintendent and Parent Learning Academy from October 15th, I sense a more proactive effort to involve the community in issues that affect the future of Hopkins Schools. For these initiatives and several others, we have Superintendent Schultz to thank. I know there will be future opportunities to have public input and involvement in the direction of Hopkins Schools, and that makes me hopeful.
Coming in the wake of last year's closure of Katherine Curren, the issue of enrollment, transparency, and meaningful community input are paramount.
That is why I was somewhat disappointed by the information presented at the Board Workshop: trends in enrollment provide only an overview and we need to focus on specific causes and conditions.
Highlights of the enrollment picture presented in the report include:
- 297 fewer students (adjusted ADM) this school year (07-08) than last (06-07). (p. 18.)
- 124 more open enrolled students this school year than last. (p. 21)
- 167 more Hopkins students left Hopkins Schools this year over last year. (p. 21)
(These numbers reflect Fall enrollment, numbers change over the course of the year.)
1) Where do Hopkins Students enroll outside of Hopkins Schools,
2) How has that picture changed over the past ten years?
3) What drives Hopkins open enrollment come from and how has that changed?
The Hopkins School Board has a statutory obligation to provide education for students living in the District: over 500 students are choosing neighboring public school districts-these are the first area of concern if we are to improve our enrollment picture. More to follow.
