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Lawrence board reviews enrollment decline to 10,148 students, highlights preschool growth
Summary
The Lawrence Public Schools board heard a 2025–26 enrollment presentation on Nov. 17 showing a 2% districtwide decline to 10,148 students while preschool enrollment rose nearly 20% to 260; leaders said no school reconfigurations are recommended and previewed a December class-size report.
The Lawrence Public Schools Board of Education on Nov. 17 reviewed its annual enrollment data, which showed district enrollment fell about 2% from last year to 10,148 students while preschool enrollment increased sharply.
Superintendent Dr. Swift and district analyst James Polk framed the decline as part of a long-term trend: "As has been projected, Lawrence Public Schools 25–26 enrollment is 2% lower than last school year," Dr. Swift said, noting the decline extends back to 2015–16. Polk said the district’s count moved from 10,358 to 10,148 students.
The presentation placed district figures in state and national context. Dr. Swift cited Kansas Department of Health and Environment data showing a recorded birth rate in 2023 at its lowest level since 1912 and described a 15% drop in the number of children under 5 in recent years as a factor constraining future enrollment. Polk showed projections prepared for the Boundary Advisory…
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