School district expected to remain sixth largest

Terry Webster

Thursday, Sept. 20, 2001 | 10:37 a.m.

The Clark County School District is likely to remain the nation's sixth largest for another year.

Districts in the fourth and fifth positions are estimating enrollments that exceed Clark County's expected student population.

Unofficial figures compiled Wednesday show the Clark County district's 2001-2002 student enrollment will come in right around the 246,000 mark, as predicted.

The growth by some 15,000 students -- last year's enrollment was 231,125 -- marks a 6.5 percent increase.

Since 1995 Clark County's enrollment has grown by about 88,000 students.

"The numbers are still coming in from the schools, but it looks like we're going to be very close to the projection," Chief Financial Officer Phil Brody said.

The numbers will be finalized during the annual "count day" Friday, Brody said.

Miami-Dade public schools in Florida, the fourth largest district in the country, is expected to have a student enrollment of 364,307, according to school district websites and media reports. The fifth largest district, Florida's Broward County, estimates student enrollment at about 260,000 this year.

Meanwhile, the nation's seventh biggest district, in Philadelphia, had 204,851 students as of June 20, 2001.

Clark County was ranked sixth last year, based on a study by the Educational Research Service in Arlington, Va. An updated study is not yet available.

The local enrollment figures are used to calculate state aid, teacher staffing and the number of new schools that need to be built.

Projections are used at the beginning of the school year to determine placement of teachers and students. If actual enrollment changes on count day, students and teachers may be shuffled to different classes or schools.

"By that time, the students have already had a chance to bond with the teacher," School Board member Denise Brodsky said.

Last school year a group of parents from Staton Elementary School campaigned to get the counting procedure changed to allow for growth during the year, but it stayed the same.

"What we learned was that the count day is pre-determined by the state Legislature," Brodsky said.

Another criticism is that the September count day hurts a growing districts like Clark County because more students arrive during the year, but additional resources are not provided.

After the district completes its student counts on Friday, the information is sent to the Nevada Department of Education. In November, state auditors survey several schools to ensure the enrollment counts were properly performed.