Student enrollment in Shawnee County school districts fell this year, according to early enrollment numbers from some districts, likely the result of scores of parents opting for homeschooling, virtual school and private school options. Four of the county’s five school districts — Seaman Unified School Disrict 345, Silver Lake USD 372, Auburn-Washburn USD 437 and Topeka USD 501 — reported a combined drop of 829, or 3.38%, students this school year, according to early enrollment data. The data reflects the districts’ headcounts as of Sept. 21, the date the state uses to determine public school funding on a per pupil basis. In any case, districts have a grace period of two weeks to account for any students who are enrolled in the district but may have been temporarily absent from school, and districts will likely add a few students between now and the Oct. 4 hard cutoff.
Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal
