Student numbers in spotlight
<p>Noah Lewis, 10, runs through the crosswalk at Prairie View Elementary School after his first day of fifth grade. Enrollment at the school has increased significantly since last year with over 650 students at the school according to principal, Janelle Baker.</p>
<p>As the first day of school gets out at Prairie View Elementary, Michael Chavez, 9, yells as he walks through a crowd of students Tuesday. The Post Falls school is now accommodating over 650 students says Jenelle Baker, the principal of Prairie View.</p>
Post Falls' student population is flat compared to last year, while Lakeland's is down 2 percent, according to school district data compiled during Tuesday's first day of school.
Post Falls' population is 5,700 - the same as last year. Lakeland's is at 4,065 - 88 less than last year.
"We may end up growing some, but based on the first day we appear to be really close to last year," Post Falls Superintendent Jerry Keane said. "The first day is always a little difficult to tell because there's a lot of coming and going. We have staff trying to track down families of students who weren't in class to find out why."
Keane said the district will have a better idea this afternoon of whether the school board will be asked to consider emergency levy funding on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
"If there's (no growth), we'll cancel the meeting," he said.
Idaho law allows boards in growing districts to seek emergency local property tax levies, without voter approval, to cover the cost of educating more students than what was budgeted for. The decision is based on average daily attendance during the first three days of school.
"We definitely have some needs," Keane said.
Keane said Prairie View Elementary is up 50 students from last year, while West Ridge Elementary is down 25.
Lakeland's trend of decreasing numbers is continuing this fall, said Tom Taggart, the district's finance director.
Since the 2010-11 school year, the district has lost 354 students or 8 percent.
"The majority have been elementary students with a drop of 11.5 percent," Taggart said. "Secondary has gone down 4.5 percent during that same period."
Taggart said this year's drop was 1 percent more than what the district projected.
"There will be some budget impacts and, obviously, no emergency levy," he said. "We will be discussing with our board and our patrons the implications of this and look at what options we have moving forward. It's much more fun to be growing (from a financial standpoint)."
Taggart said the district hasn't considered long-term possibilities.
"I'm guessing that discussion will happen this fall," he said.
Taggart said the biggest reason for the decline has been the charter school that opened last year in Rathdrum.
He said the district also continues to see a shift in demographics as an older population moves in and younger families move out as the economy recovers.
"Most jobs are in Spokane, Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene," Taggart said. "With gas approaching $4 per gallon, families are choosing to locate closer to where they can find jobs. It's a long and costly drive from the northern parts of our district and instead people are renting or buying in Post Falls or Coeur d'Alene. I think this can start to turn around if the recovery continues and people feel more stable in their jobs."