Decrease Projected for Mansfield Student Enrollment

After seeing an increase in student population over the years, the Mansfield schools are projected to experience a decrease in student enrollment.

According to numbers recently presented at the town’s budget summit by Superintendent Zeffro Gianetti, the school district is estimated to have 3,996 students for the 2015-16 school years, with enrollment expected to decrease to 3,503 by 2019-20.

The numbers are much lower than the highs seen only a few years ago. During the 2009-10 school year, enrollment peaked at 4,923.

At the high school, enrollment is projected to be 1,313 for the next school year before going under 1,300 during the 2016-17 school year. By the start of the 2019-20 year, the high school is projected to have 1,231 students.

The middle school is expected to house 1,401 students, decreasing to 899 by 2017-18 and then 785 by 2019-20.

Between 2009 and 2015, the elementary schools have seen their student population decrease by 27 percent. Down from a high of 2,122 in 2009, the Roland Green, Robinson, and Jordan-Jackson schools are projected to house a combined 1,487 students.

Also decreasing at the elementary schools are the average class sizes. First-grade classes average 20.8 students with grades two through five all between 23.2 and 23.9 students.

According to Gianetti, Mansfield will see a 3 percent decrease in student enrollment every year through 2019-20.