School enrollment numbers continue to hold steady

RITZVILLE – Enrollment numbers for area schools remained fairly consistent compared to last year for most schools, although a couple of schools saw an increase or decrease in the number of students attending.

Washtucna School District started out the school year with six more students than last year. They had 61 students enrolled at the beginning of the year, compared to 55 last year.

The opposite was true for Lind Ritzville School District, with 322 students enrolled in K-12 this year, a reduction of 34 students over last year’s 356 students enrolled in September.

Superintendent Don Vanderholm reported at the Sept. 23 school board meeting there was no budget impact at this time, as they had budgeted conservatively for Lind; predicting an enrollment of 175 students, which came in at 187.

“In Ritzville, we budgeted for 335, and we’re at just under 322. The change in revenue based on our enrollment as of Sept. 30 would be a loss of 2.10% revenue,” Vanderholm said Sept. 23. “So we’re looking closely at this.”

Vanderholm said a consistent pattern seemed to be emerging for school districts across the state to look at mid-October numbers to see where they’re at for enrollment, as they expect numbers to stabilize by then.

Vanderholm said the total cooperative was budgeted at 510, and came in at 508.

“Because Lind has those good numbers right now. So as a cooperative, we’re still looking pretty good as our numbers go,” Vanderholm said.

In Kahlotus, 37 students started out the 2020-21 school year, with 20 in the elementary school and 17 in the secondary school. Last year, ending enrollment for the 2019-20 school year was 41 students, with 20 in the elementary school and 21 in the secondary school.

Benge Elementary School remained consistent, with 18 students enrolled both years.

In Sprague, the elementary school has 40 students enrolled this year, and had 43 students last year. The high school saw 35 students last year, compared to 34 this year. The Lamont Middle School has 41 students this year, and had 43 students last year.