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Irvington Schools Project Enrollment Decline

IRVINGTON, N.Y. – The Irvington Free Union School District is expecting a decline in enrollment next year, but projections for just how many students will leave the district differ.

Beverly Miller, assistant superintendent for business and facility management, told school board members during a recent meeting that she estimates the school will lose about 20 students next year—down to about 1,740 students from the current 1,756.

Miller said she didn't see how the decreased enrollment could affect the budget.

“I'm estimating the loss of a few students, but there's not a significant number of gains or losses of students to impact the teaching staff at this time,” she said. “I don't foresee any major housing starts in the district or any major fluctuations” that would impact enrollment.

However, a professional study in 2009 projected that the school district's enrollment would drop to 1,707 by 2012-13 and 1,522 by 2018-19. Miller disagreed with this projection.

Miller noted that the projection was “on a steady decline.” She said she thought it was too negative because there's going to be people moving to Irvington, which will provide some compensation for those who choose to leave.

“I was uncomfortable bringing it down to that level where we're now laying off staff,” she said, later noting that it could pose a problem later on if the school district doesn't lose 40 children.

School Board President John Dawson agreed with Miller, especially he said, if you “don't know where you're losing them from.”

James McCann, school board member, proposed that the school district use local real estate agents to find out whether they could expect to have more or less students, saying that would be a better way to project student enrollment. Interim Superintendent Robert Roelle said BOCES offered a similar service that had a “very good history” and was used by a number of school districts.

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