The Carlisle Area School District posted its 2025–26 enrollment and demographics dashboard and reported trends that administrators said will influence staffing and budget planning.

District staff highlighted that while the number of students residing in the district boundary increased year over year, actual district enrollment declined slightly — a change the presentation attributed in part to an increase in students choosing cyber charter options (from 249 to 305 this year). The dashboard shows 51% of students identified as economically disadvantaged, a roughly 5% decrease from the prior year, and a substantial increase in English‑learner identification (reported as a 131% rise relative to 2018).

Administrators told the committee the number of students identified for special education or Section 504 plans has also increased (about 75 more students this year), a trend that drives demand for out‑of‑district placements, additional classrooms, related services and staffing. The report notes the district’s special‑education costs continue to outpace the portion of funding the state provides.

Board members asked how the district is planning staffing for increased needs. Administration said recent staffing increases have focused on special education, English‑language development, counseling and reading supports, and that the district is opening additional classrooms in partnership with consortium partners as needed. The administration also suggested a future, deeper review of the Carlisle Virtual Academy (CVA) to evaluate retention strategies for students who might otherwise enroll in cyber charter schools.

The dashboard is posted online and board members invited the public to review it; administrators offered to provide deeper dives on specific pages on request.