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Demographer warns Decatur District 61 faces accelerating enrollment decline, urges economic and facility strategies
Summary
A demographer told the District 61 board the district has seen long-term student losses and accelerating declines—driven by falling birth rates, an aging population and rising private-school enrollment—and recommended partnerships with the city, boundary adjustments and incentive strategies to attract young families.
Preston Smith of Business Information Services told the Decatur Public Schools Board of Education on Jan. 27 that long-term enrollment trends point toward continued and accelerating decline, and urged the district to integrate the findings into Roadmap 2030 planning.
Smith, identified by Dr. Curry as the principal owner of the demography firm, said the district had about 12,000 students in 1990 and is now “pushing below 8,000,” with births down about 17% since 2020. He highlighted several factors he said compound the problem: an aging population, a sharp drop in births, increased…
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