Superintendent reports enrollment dip, attendance gains, new CTE pathway, clinic partnership and apprenticeship pilot

The superintendent of the Central Falls School District reported a set of operational and program updates, including a small net decline in enrollment, improving attendance in most schools, expansion of career and technical education offerings, a new health-clinic partnership for the high school, and a pilot apprenticeship for teaching assistants.

Enrollment and attendance: The superintendent said district enrollment is down 11 students since January and that staff are tracking a modest increase in families considering unenrollment and departures from the U.S. The district will begin providing monthly enrollment and attendance updates. In positive contrast, five of seven schools reduced their rate of chronic absenteeism in year-over-year comparisons, the superintendent said; the increases at two schools were described as still potentially reducible before the end of the school year because the percentages reported were measured against the current year’s missing-days threshold.

Career and technical education: The district received an additional $20,000 for work-based learning tied to its computer-science pathway, the superintendent said. The board was…