Student enrollment in North Allegheny School District continues to slowly climb back up to pre-pandemic levels, now sitting at 8,555 as of an Oct. 1 count.
That is the highest it’s been since 2019-20, when it was at 8,559, dropping to its lowest at 8,418 in 2022-23, according to an enrollment and facilities report to the school board on Oct.23.
“There was a slight decrease for three years after the pandemic,” said Yuko Wong, district data manager, who presented part of the report along with director of facilities Brandon Chabola.
The biggest growth was at McKnight Elementary per Oct. 1 count, at 875 compared with the same day last year at 837.
Hosack Elementary added 18 students for a total count of 349. Peebles Elementary, at 400, did not change, and just seven enrolled at Bradford Woods, now at 343.
Franklin Elementary had a decrease in student enrollment compared to last year’s Oct. 1, dropping from 736 to 717. Marshall Elementary, now at 800, dropped by six students.
Carson Middle School increased from 646 to 653. Ingomar Middle decreased to 514 from last year’s 529, and Marshall Middle gained 28 students, now standing at 845.
North Allegheny Intermediate High School increased its student enrollment by 34, to 1,382 as of Oct. 1. And the senior high school has 22 fewer students, dropping to 1,314 as of Oct. 1.
Other enrollment data showed NA Cyber Academy decreased by four students, now at 19. The number of charter, private, parochial and home-schooled students who live in the district continues to decrease, now at 813. In 2022, there were more than 1,000 who attended nonpublic schools.
Over the past decade, the highest years number of students attending private schools was 1,057, in 2016.
The annual report helps guide planning for facilities and educational needs of the district.
Enrollment numbers will help guide planning for a possible renovation of the high schools, said Chabola. He referenced a recent traffic study that indicated a combined campus of both the senior and intermediate high schools was not feasible.
Those details, along with more on future districtwide facility planning, will be presented to the school board in January,
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The Stewman Demographics study projects 8,877 North Allegheny students by 2029, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education projects 8,694 by the same year, with the latter not taking into account new housing or migrant shifts, according to Chabola.
Projected enrollments are determined by Oct. 1 enrollment reports, average retention rates, Pennsylvania Health Department Data, an updated May 2022 demographic study by Stewman Demographics, and approved new housing.
Chabula said the planning should align with the fourth goal of North Allegheny’s newly adopted strategic and comprehensive plan: to create facilities for the future, which reflects dedication to academics, arts, athletics and activities.
That includes creating “modern learning spaces” for students, said Chabola.