Enrollment in Memphis-Shelby County Faculties is forward of what it was at the moment final 12 months, however lags projections for the varsity 12 months amid important adjustments within the composition of the district.
As of this week, 109,636 college students had been enrolled in Tennessee’s largest district, 1,446 greater than a 12 months in the past, in response to a presentation to the varsity board Tuesday from Superintendent Marie Feagins.
However that’s beneath the district’s projected enrollment of 111,983, which incorporates college students within the district’s 54 constitution faculties.
Greater than 2,300 college students who had been anticipated to attend district faculties haven’t proven up.
The enrollment replace comes amid massive adjustments in native training, together with the shift of practically a thousand college students in three campus faculties that had been operated by the College of Memphis below a contract with the Memphis district. Below a brand new state legislation authorizing the creation of progressive faculty districts, these faculties are actually in their very own university-run faculty system.
In the meantime, the district anticipated to soak up college students from 5 faculty buildings that moved this summer time from constitution operators again to the Memphis district’s management after 10 years with the state-run faculty turnaround program referred to as the Achievement College District.
Three of these ASD campuses — Humes Center, MLK Faculty Prep Excessive, and Memphis Students — are actually shuttered. MSCS officers have inspired their college students to attend different native faculties.
College board member Kevin Woods mentioned MSCS doubtless would have had fewer college students enrolled this 12 months with out the ASD transitions.
“I believe you’re sharing the narrative that the district has extra college students, the district remains to be trending in the appropriate path,” he advised Feagins throughout his closing assembly earlier than departing the board after 13 years in workplace.
“However we do have college students that merely are nonetheless not exhibiting up,” he added.
Feagins has made enrollment and attendance two of the highest priorities of her new administration after taking up because the district’s chief this spring.
Final week, via her initiative dubbed “Hey Neighbor!” she went door-to-door to trace down college students who haven’t proven up for the reason that educational 12 months started on Aug. 5.
“Come on and open the door for me. It’s your superintendent. I wish to be sure to’re OK,” she mentioned throughout one in every of her visits, proven on a video posted on social media.
Below the initiative, she mentioned, her crew has knocked on greater than 600 doorways in areas of Memphis with probably the most no-shows. The objective is to assist households reconnect with their faculties so their youngsters are again in school.
Woods praised Feagins for knocking on doorways, however reminded the neighborhood that “it’s all people’s job” to get children in class.
“Proceed to lean in on buddies, of us in church buildings. Any person know the place these children are, proper?” he mentioned.
Feagins’ presentation additionally confirmed a rise of greater than 1,100 pre-Ok college students over this time final 12 months.
Constitution faculty enrollment as of Tuesday was 19,624, practically 900 college students greater than this time final 12 months.
She reported that common each day attendance is 95% to date this 12 months. However the district has traditionally struggled with persistent absenteeism, outlined as a scholar who misses 10% or extra tutorial days in a single faculty 12 months, or about 18 days.
Within the 2022-23 educational 12 months, in response to the newest information launched by the state, the Memphis district’s persistent absenteeism fee was 28%, equating to just about 29,000 college students.
Which means considerably much less studying time.
Analysis means that persistent absenteeism places college students at larger threat of destructive outcomes that embrace dropping out or growing poorer studying abilities.
Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.
