SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Enrollment in Utah public schools has declined for the first time since 2000, according to the state Board of Education.
The agency counted 665,306 public school students in the state on Oct. 1, down 0.23% from 2019.
There was a 17,000 student decline in the number of students designated as economically disadvantaged, a drop of over 8%, the Deseret News reported.
The state report also indicated an increase in enrollment for online school, with a jump in about 80% from 2019.
The number of students who transferred to private schools increased by 25% from a year ago.
Deputy State Superintendent Scott Jones said schools will conduct a new headcount in January.
School districts varied in their individual year-over-year figures. Some experienced moderate increases in enrollment while Provo School District reported a 20% decline in enrollment, according to the data.
Alpine School District remains the state’s largest school district with 80,953 students, a figure down 1% from 2019. Davis School District is second in district population with 70,643 students, a 3% decline in year-over-year enrollment.
