Hermiston SD 8 reports slight enrollment decline, announces kindergarten registration dates

Superintendent Doctor Mooney told the board the district’s enrollment stood at 5,105 K–12 students as of Dec. 31, down slightly from the prior month.

Mooney said the decline mirrors statewide trends and noted that secondary-level classes currently are larger than incoming cohorts, which could produce continued year-over-year drops. “As of December 31, we were at 5,105 students K–12,” Mooney said, adding that schools track average daily membership closely because state funding depends on attendance.

Mooney explained seasonal factors such as flu and family travel contribute to winter declines in attendance; the district may drop students from enrollment after 10 consecutive days of unexcused absence if required by law. He also announced kindergarten registration windows with on-site support on April 15–17 and April 21–22 and said parents can register online when registration opens.

The board asked for different visualizations of enrollment data (month-to-month and year-to-year comparisons) to better understand trends. Mooney said staff will provide zoomed-in graphs and month-to-month comparisons in future reports.

Next steps: staff will provide additional charts and data in upcoming budget discussions and public communications about kindergarten registration when enrollment opens.