RESERVE – Student enrollment in St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools improved over last year’s count, marking the first time in nine years the school system grew from its previous year.

Official enrollment for the 2002-03 school year is 6,190, which is based on the total count as of Oct. 1, and includes all students enrolled in grades K-12 regular and special education programs. Last year’s official count for these same programs was 6,110.

This count determines the level of state funding for the school district.

“This marks a significant turnaround in a declining trend that has plagued this school system for too long. We are excited to see that our children are beginning to stay in school, while others are coming back to the system,” said Superintendent Michael Coburn.

Coburn credited the en turnaround to the recent implementation of a neighborhood school restructure plan that will create K-8 schools on the East Bank. The plan is scheduled to be complete in two years; however, the first phase of the plan was implemented this year, allowing seventh grade students to remain on their elementary campuses.

Eighth-grade classes will be added to those campuses next year after some necessary facility improvements and expansions are completed in the summer of 2003. Voters approved a $5 million funding request for the plan in July.

Coburn noted that enrollment numbers fluctuate from grade to grade, showing increases in some grades and fewer students in other grades as compared to last year. However, he noted that the numbers for this year’s seventh-grade class are positive indicators for the future.

“We have more seventh graders this year than we had sixth-graders last year. That tells us that not only did we keep last year’s sixth graders – which was not always happening in the past – but we added students at that level,” Coburn explained. “Our goal is to keep these students and continue to add at these levels, as well as at other levels.”

The Oct. 1 figures are used to calculate the school district’s state funding level according to the state’s Minimum Foundation Program formula.

Robert Schaff, supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance, said this year’s MFP formula allows for school districts to receive $3,256 per student in grades K-12. With 80 more students as compared to last year’s count, St. John Parish Schools will receive an additional $260,480 in state funding this year.

Schaff said the parish’s pre-K and Head Start programs are fully funded by the federal government, and federal supplemental funding is also provided for all special education students in grades K-12.

“Clearly, this is positive news all around for St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools. We are making real advances in this system, and these numbers are the proof of that,” said Schaff.