Arlington Kindergarten Registrations Total 400 and Growing: Report

ARLINGTON, MA—Overcrowding at Arlington's public schools is a problem that Arlington city officials view as one of the biggest challenges facing the town, and that issue does not seem to be slowing down.

"When you have more kids in the schools, there's also a need to consider more operating funding," Chapdelaine told Patch.

According to the Arlington Advocate's report, the school district projects enrollment of close to 500 students.

“We already have a fairly sizable class and it is only March,” Bodie said.

In the latest projections by Dr. Jerome McKibben, the district’s demographic consultant, the kindergarten enrollment in Arlington for next school year is 487 students.

With a graduating fifth grade class of 459, the district’s already bursting schools would be taking on more students for the upcoming year.

Increasing enrollment in Arlington's public schools has put substantial pressure on its elementary schools, particularly Thompson Elementary School. Town leaders are debating possible solutions, but an exact timeline for making a final decision has not yet been set.

The school committee was not immediately available for comment.