A Closer Look: Haddonfield School Enrollments

In a previous post, we took a look at Haddonfield demographics -- and in particular, population by age.  We learned a few interesting things about Haddonfield's population (21% school-aged; 15% seniors aged 65 and older).  Here, we take a closer look at school enrollments.  

Based on data from the BoE reports, we are able to obtain enrollments from the 1997-98 school year through 2011-12.  Enrollment figures for the most recent two years are estimates based on media reports. 

Note that the BoE Report (for Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2012) has a typo on page 3.  The yearly change in enrollment for 2010-11 from the previous year was +0.57%, not +5.7%. This does not impact the fact that enrollment has increased by about 20% since 1997-98, or about 1.2% growth per year. However, people scanning the annual percentages should be aware that the +5.7% is really +0.57% (or +0.6%, rounded).   

Based on the data in the chart, we can see that we had a bulge in growth in the late 1990s into the early 2000s.  During that time, enrollment grew at about 2% to 2.5% per year. However, over more recent years, based on a various averages (3-year, 5-year, and 7-year averages), growth has moderated to about 0.8% to 1.2%.  Nevertheless, this is still growth, (albeit growth averaging about 2 students per grade) -- and an issue our community will have to address.  

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And, while we are on the topic of demographics and school enrollments, a closer look at Haddonfield census changes from 2000 to 2010 shows the increase of school-aged children, as expected, but an even larger decrease in people aged 65 and older.  Population remained virtually unchanged in Haddonfield from 2000 to 2010, declining from about 11,700 to 11,600.  The population makeup of our town is changing...  
  

Thank you for reading.  I am running for the Haddonfield Board of Education and recently posted a formal announcement about my candidacy.  

- Carlton Chin