Needham School Enrollment to Peak and Decline, Projections Say

NEEDHAM, MA — The Needham school population is expected to go up a bit before declining by a few hundred students.

In documents for the Needham School Committee, Anne Gulati, director of financial operations for the Needham Public Schools, wrote that the declining projection for the elementary schools will offset an expected increase at the high school level.

“During the next fifteen-years, enrollment will follow a peak-then-decline pattern. The projection is for enrollment to peak at 5,696 in FY 21/22, which is 108 students more than the current population of 5,588. After FY21, however, District enrollment is projected to decline by 310 pupils to 5,386 by FY 31/32,” Gulati wrote.

Currently, the Needham Public Schools have 5,588 students, a number that is expected to increase to 5,632 next year. Numbers are projected to stay in the 5,600-range until 2026-27, the beginning of a multi-year decline.

Needham High School, which is expected to have the larger classes in the near future, peaks in 2024-25 with 1,805 students.

Overall, Superintendent Dan Gutekanst said the town is bucking the state trend.

“It looks likes it's leveling off and dipping a bit and not for a while,” he said.

Image: file photo