Public school enrollment in Washington state is declining

So, here is the problem. Every year going forward we will see fewer K through 12 students than the year before. Why? The main reason is that fewer children are born every year, but it's more than that. 

According to seattletimes.com,
‘While declining birthrates are largely responsible for enrollment declines in Washington and across the country, the state’s K-12 loss is steeper than the drop in the school-age population, Dee said. That could be a signal that many families who left public schools in 2020 did not return,’
 

Since the pandemic, in the state of Washington, home schooling is way up, over 31,600 students this year. According to state data, private school enrollment was up to around 83,600. With fewer K through 12 students available, it won't be long before you will see public schools competing with other public schools for enrollment. 

Some Washington school districts are actually promoting enrollment of students outside their district boundaries. Other schools are opening up classes online statewide to increase enrollment.  

Keep in mind the state funding for schools is tied to enrollment, fewer students, less money. As one educator described it, there is the possibility that school districts will start looking at students more as a commodity. 

There is no simple solution here. 

Among other things, Bellevue is offering what they're calling an online parent partnership for homeschoolers. The school district provides case managers and curriculum support for the students. The students have access to the school district and STEM programs. The school gets to add additional students to their enrollment. 

Other school districts are talking about actively marketing their schools to parents and potential students. Imagine surfing the Internet and finding a pop-up ad for a school trying to convince you that your children should go there.  

There's part of me that thinks that this is all kind of messed up. I didn't get a choice of what school I went to. We lived in the Highline School District, and my parents didn't give me a choice. They told me where I was going and I went there. Southern Heights grade school was within walking distance of my house. Glendale Junior High was a short bike ride away. I did have to take the bus in order to go to Glacier High School. If we had lived Another 100 yards in the other direction, I would have wound up going to Highline High School. 

Things were a little different when my kids were going to school. All my kids went to the Orondo grade school. When it came time for junior high, we had a choice. We could send them to Waterville, or we could send them to East Wenatchee. When it came to high school, it expanded again. They could choose Waterville, East Wenatchee, or Wenatchee. 

In the future, I can see school districts competing for athletic students. If I was choosing schools for my kids these days, it would all center around STEM programs.