Lawrence board reviews enrollment decline to 10,148 students, highlights preschool growth

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 Council by RSP that forecast a gradual decline through the late 2020s with a potential uptick around the 2029–30 school year.

At the same time, leaders highlighted areas of growth. Preschool enrollment rose about 20% year‑over‑year to 260 students after adding programs at Woodlawn and Sunflower elementary schools; Polk said preschool is the highest it has been historically. Dr. Swift later corrected an earlier figure to clarify that Kennedy has eight preschool classrooms in total — five pre‑K classrooms and three early childhood special‑education classrooms with peer models.

Polk also broke enrollment down by level: elementary and high-school counts declined from the prior year while middle school and preschool showed increases. He reported that 7.8% of students are English language learners (20 languages represented, with Spanish the largest) and that roughly 40% of students qualify as economically disadvantaged post‑pandemic. Polk noted a 6% increase since 2020–21 in students identified with disabilities.

Board members pressed for clarifications on several points, including why the Lawrence Virtual School (LVS) is sometimes reported separately. Polk explained that LVS is counted differently by the state in certain presentations and that explicitly separating it can clarify residency and projection calculations. Polk also confirmed the district uses RSP projections that were informed by the Boundary Advisory Council.

Members and Dr. Swift emphasized that the district is not recommending any school reconfigurations, repurposes, or closures at this time. "There are no recommended school reconfigurations, repurposes, or closures," Dr. Swift said, adding that the district intends to use available space to expand programming and target resources to classrooms with greater need. Polk previewed a more detailed class-size report, scheduled for early December, that will show per‑class averages (kindergarten averaging about 20, second grade 21, third and fourth 22, fifth 23) and a cell-chart visual of every elementary classroom as of Oct. 28.

Polk and the superintendent described supports for classrooms flagged as crowded: additional teaching support and small-group arrangements are in place where possible, though in some cases no spare classroom is available to provide a full-time additional class.

The board asked staff for follow-up data on open-enrollment yields, transfers, and the composition of free vs. reduced‑price lunch counts; Dr. Swift committed to providing those details at a future meeting. The board also discussed broader drivers such as local housing patterns and statewide enrollment trends that will affect long‑term planning and finances.

The district will present a full elementary class-size report at its December meeting and has scheduled the secondary class-size report for Dec. 8.