Enrollment report: 81 students transferred out this year; district sees nearly equal incoming transfers

District staff presented the annual district choice report showing modest net movement and raising questions about online programs and home‑based instruction.

Presenter reported 81 students transferred out of Pullman for the 2024–25 year; roughly 60% of those students went to online academies and the remainder went to neighboring smaller districts. In the same period, 78 students transferred into Pullman (Colfax, Colton and Palouse were the most common sending districts). Staff noted the numbers are nearly balanced but flagged that many choice‑outs at the elementary level surprised trustees.

Renewal rates were high among choice‑ins: staff said 90% of choice‑in students were renewals. For choice‑outs, about 68% were new choice‑outs and 40% were choosing out for more than one year. The staff presentation also showed a downward trend in home‑based instruction since 2021, with a slight uptick in the current year; total home‑based student counts were given for past years but exact current totals were described in the packet.

Trustees asked whether departures were linked to the former Montessori charter school and whether the district systematically asks families why they choose online programs. Staff said the choice form has check boxes and some written responses, but many respondents leave the comment fields blank; staff said they plan to consider better qualitative data collection (surveys or outreach) to understand families' motivations.

What happens next: staff will examine data collection options to gather more detailed reasons behind transfers and consider outreach to families who choose online or home‑based instruction.