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Southeast Polk enrollment report: elementary class sizes steady, junior high decline noted
Summary
Board member Matthew Horton (recorded as 'Mr. Horton' in the transcript) summarized enrollment ahead of the new school year: elementary class averages are about 22, the district reported a net increase of 37 students since the last report, and junior high and 12th-grade counts declined from last year.
At the board meeting, Mr. Horton presented an enrollment update ahead of the 2025–26 school year and told trustees that most grade levels have healthy class sizes while some secondary grades show declines.
Horton said the district averages 22 students per elementary classroom and reported a net increase of 37 students compared with a week earlier. He flagged a notable drop in junior high enrollment and a decline in 12th-grade numbers (down to 581 from 618 a year earlier).
"We average 22 in our elementary classrooms, which is a fantastic number," Horton said. He noted only eight grade-level classes were completely full in the snapshot provided.
Board members asked whether enrollment assignment prioritizes neighborhood schools or available space. Horton said the district generally assigns students based on residence to keep children in neighborhood schools, and open-enrollment requests are handled with conversations about where space exists.
No boundary changes or policy actions were proposed during the update.
