Avoyelles School District looking at 209-pupil decline

In the latest year-to-year enrollment comparison, Avoyelles Parish School District’s smiles have turned to frowns.

While opening day enrollment was up by 42 over last school year’s first day, the pre-Labor Day spot check found the district was down 209 students from this time last year, Superintendent Blaine Dauzat said.

The next tally will be taken shortly after Labor Day. The “count that counts” -- the one that determines how much state Minimum Foundation Program funding the public school system receives -- will be taken on Oct. 1.

BRIGHT SPOT IN BUNKIE

The bright spot in the district is in Bunkie, where Bunkie Magnet High had 40 more students than it did in late August 2018 and Bunkie Elementary had 23 more pupils.

The other eight schools all had fewer students than they had in the second count of last school year.

LaSAS -- a charter high school under the APSD umbrella -- has a regulated enrollment and is only one student shy of its 2018 count.

The district’s other two high schools were loss leaders, with Avoyelles down 79 students and Marksville down by 47.

The other five elementary schools also had double-digit declines over this time last school year. Plaucheville was down by 39, Lafargue by 31, Riverside by 30, Marksville by 26 and Cottonport by 19.

Avoyelles schools have been declining in enrollment for the past several years, but if these numbers hold true it would be the biggest hit in recent memory.

In the past, the blame was placed on Avoyelles Public Charter, parochial schools, online charter schools and home school programs.

POSSIBLE REASONS

Red River Charter Academy opened for its first year on Aug. 20 with 196 students in grades 6-8. It could affect all of the district schools since 6th grades are in the elementaries and the junior high grades are in the high schools.

It is not expected to have an impact on LaSAS, which is the highest-rated school in the district.

Approximately 20-25 percent of RRCA’s 196-pupil enrollment is expected to come from the four parochial schools in the parish. Diocesan Superintendent Thomas Roque acknowledged on opening day that enrollment in the Catholic schools may be slightly lower this year due to the impact of RRCA on enrollment in grades 6-8. The Diocese has not yet released any enrollment figures for this school year.

With the school located in the old Mansura High property, it is in between the Avoyelles and Marksville attendance zones and would be expected to impact those schools more than it would the Bunkie schools.

Bunkie Magnet has also reportedly been attracting more students from across the parish and is expected to show good gains in its annual state school performance scores. That could also explain some of its increase in enrollment and some the decline in the other two high schools.

As in past years, the presence of online charter schools and home school programs has become an attractive alternative to parents who do not feel local schools are safe or academically effective for their children.

If the enrollment trend turns back up in early September, district officials may be able to breathe a sigh of relief. However, they won’t be able to take a deep breath until after Oct. 1.

A 200-student decline in enrollment would mean well over $1 million less in state MFP money for the district.