The state’s superintendent says school enrollment is down in 2020.
53,000 fewer students enrolled in 2020 versus the previous school year.
While thousands have transitioned to homeschooling during this pandemic, some administrators worry others have fallen through the cracks. At least 13,000 kids are unaccounted for.
“It is concerning that kids are not enrolled in school,” said Mesick Consolidated Schools superintendent Scott Akom. “Parents are just not reporting their kids being homeschooled, or they have moved, and not enrolled their kid in another school district…it’s very concerning. Schools are a safe place for kids.”
Akom says their enrollment has been solid, but they’re noticing other worrying trends.
“We have seen a decrease in test scores and our teachers are working hard to fill those gaps,” said Akom.
It’s a problem shared by many, including McBain Rural Agricultural School leadership. The drop off could possibly attributed to the switch to online learning.
“We’re very concerned about the drop off and student achievement,” said McBain’s interim superintendent Howard Napp. “There’s a lot a lot of students that [online learning] doesn’t work for. And so I think there’s a frustration level that’s part of that number.”
Napp emphasized that to bridge the cap, in-person learning needs to happen safely to catch these students up.
Michigan says over recent years, enrollment has decreased by 13,000 kids on average annually.
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