GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — After years of declining enrollment at Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS), the district estimates that the student population is expected to meet or even exceed preliminary projections.
The somewhat surprising results of the count day come after the district announced a "Facilities Master Plan" earlier in the year, which could result in some schools and other facilities shuttering their doors.
GRPS has seen a steady decline in enrollment over the last 14 years, with an overall drop of 26% in students enrolled since 2008.
The drop in enrollment has pushed building utilization in the district to approximately 53%, which is significantly less than the 85% recommended by the state.
The district is currently hosting town hall meetings to let the community weigh in on purposed changes to the facilities in the district.
This year, the district was projected to have a student population of about 13,900, and early estimates from count day show 13,957 total students.
Count days are conducted at school districts across the state to determine the school districts funding from the state each year. Two count days are conducted each school year, one in October and the other in February.
The October date is more important, determining 90% of the schools funding, while the February count day determines the remaining.
“We are grateful that our scholars made a special effort to show up for this important day. The enrollment numbers gathered today have a significant impact on our ability to provide quality education for our scholars,” GRPS Superintendent Dr. Leadriane Roby said. “While we adults have to pay attention to numbers, statistics, and funding figures, the faces of our scholars who show up eager to learn are what truly motivate us to push our boundaries and constantly improve our ability to help them succeed.”
This is the district’s first “normal” count day since the COVID-19 pandemic.
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