TWENTY-NINE COUNTIES HAVE FEWER STUDENTS

(12/02/2005)
Twenty-nine of West Virginia's 55 counties have fewer students enrolled this school year.

With growth in the eastern panhandle, net enrollment in the state has increased 331 over last year to 279,800 students.

The state Department of Education has compiled and released the 2005-06 school year official enrollment numbers.

Calhoun County fared much better in the loss department this year with a decrease of nine students.

Roane County saw a gain of five students, Ritchie 46, and Wirt three.

Clay decreased 69, Braxton 46, and Gilmer 55.

Berkeley County had the largest increase in enrollment at 640 students. Superintendent Manny Arvon says more than 2,500 new students have entered the system in the last five years and he expects the growth to continue. "We have opened seven additional schools in the last eight years and have had 13 major renovation projects."

Wood County saw the largest decrease in enrollment at 169. School officials said the decrease is based on the loss of hundreds of jobs in the Mid-Ohio Valley region.

There were pockets of growth. Logan County reported an increase of 93 students, Marion County 55 and Monongalia County 64 more students.

LIST OF THE 2005-06 ENROLLMENT NUMBERS.

* Increase

Barbour 2,599 2,585 (14)

Berkeley 14,983 15,623 640 *

Boone 4,572 4,566 (6)

Braxton 2,457 2,411 (46)

Brooke 3,638 3,579 (59)

Cabell 12,249 12,325 76 *

Calhoun 1,187 1,178 (9)

Clay 2,111 2,042 (69)

Doddridge 1,284 1,243 (41)

Fayette 6,919 6,873 (46)

Gilmer 1,009 954 (55)

Grant 1,995 1,989 (6)

Greenbrier 5,297 5,333 36 *

Hampshire 3,618 3,678 60 *

Hancock 4,296 4,298 2 *

Hardy 2,330 2,293 (37)

Harrison 11,356 11,316 (40)

Jackson 5,022 5,060 38 *

Jefferson 7,672 7,874 202 *

Kanawha 27,979 27,999 20 *

Lewis 2,789 2,735 (54)

Lincoln 3,764 3,741 (23)

Logan 6,050 6,143 93 *

Marion 8,183 8,238 55 *

Marshall 5,241 5,184 (57)

Mason 4,209 4,267 58 *

Mercer 9,336 9,306 (30)

Mineral 4,583 4,609 26 *

Mingo 4,686 4,599 (87)

Monongalia 9,960 10,024 64 *

Monroe 2,068 2,012 (56)

Morgan 2,574 2,616 42 *

McDowell 4,112 3,999 (113)

Nicholas 4,225 4,150 (75)

Ohio 5,359 5,323 (36)

Pendleton 1,201 1,177 (24)

Pleasants 1,360 1,379 19 *

Pocahontas 1,353 1,315 (38)

Preston 4,702 4,685 (17)

Putnam 8,930 8,993 63 *

Raleigh 11,684 11,703 19 *

Randolph 4,425 4,415 (10)

Ritchie 1,561 1,607 46 *

Roane 2,581 2,586 5 *

Summers 1,616 1,607 (9)

Taylor 2,417 2,507 90 *

Tucker 1,197 1,206 9 *

Tyler 1,561 1,590 29 *

Upshur 3,765 3,735 (30)

Wayne 7,575 7,581 6 *

Webster 1,624 1,637 13 *

Wetzel 3,240 3,086 (154)

Wirt 1,017 1,020 3 *

Wood 13,746 13,577 (169)

Wyoming 4,190 4,217 27 *