SMP schools report drop in enrollment

Public school enrollment in St. Martin Parish continued its downward trend for the 2017-18 session, according to figures released last week by the St. Martin School Board.
Overall enrollment for the parish’s 16 schools and special programs totalled 8,121 on Oct. 1, the date set by the state Department of Education for parishes to submit figures.
The number is down by 148 from the comparable 2016 figure of 8,269, a 1.8 percent decrease.
Although not yet finalized, the apparent loss in the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) head count from October 2016 is 193 students. This is the number the state uses to calculate the funds it allocates to each parish and will result in a considerable decrease in state money for the local system.
This year’s total is down 362 students from the 2015 enrollment, a drop of 4.3 percent.
The school reporting the sharpest drop was Breaux Bridge High School, although it remains the parish’s largest school. The head count there was 870 last year but slipped to 817 this year, down 53.
Other big losers included St. Martinville Primary (572 to 535, down 37), and St. Martinville Sr. High (724 to 691, down 33).
Breaux Bridge Primary, Elementary and Parks Primary each dropped 20 students from last year.
Parks Primary reported the largest increase in the parish, with enrollment jumping from 277 to 320, up by 43. The Early Learning Center in St. Martinville added 13 while Teche Elementary near Cecilia increased by 12.
The parish’s three high schools continue to report the largest student bodies, with Cecilia following Breaux Bridge at 789 students and St. Martinville third with 691.
Stephensville, in Lower St. Martin Parish, is a preK-8 school but has the smallest student body at 126, down by three from last year.
Catahoula (grades K-5) lost 10 students, slipping from 178 last year to 168.

Superintendent Dr. Lottie P. Beebe pointed out that the student enrollment count is not official until Nov. 1, following a final review both locally and at the state level.
She said an analysis of the Oct. 2 figures by her staff disclosed several reasons for the drop in enrollment, including transfers to charter/parochial/private schools, home school study and residency changes, as well as the sluggish local economy.
She added, “The District’s response to the loss of students will be presented during the Nov. 1st school board Finance Committee meeting. Staff will provide recommendations to offset the loss of MFP funds (as a result in the decreased enrollment.”