| By Bob Weaver
The long trend of declining enrollment in Calhoun Schools has changed.
Reports indicate increased student enrollment for the first time in 15 years, according to Superintendent Roger Propst.
Propst told the local school board this week the system is up 22 students as of last week, with the official numbers to be submitted in October.
During the 2009-2010 year, the loss was -22 students, but this fall Propst says enrollment has increased by 22.
The official school attendance numbers will be released in October.
The enrollment has been boosted by early childhood education.
Calhoun's school enrollment has declined about 600 students since 1991.
The biggest single loss was in 2000-01 with -112, likely linked to parents sending students to other counties after a consolidation battle.
School Superintendent Roger Propst said last year that student enrollment translates into funding for teachers and service personnel.
Each student is linked to several thousand dollars of funding.
Sparsely populated rural systems with few employment opportunities continue to be victims of the state's long-time school funding formula, although a few slight adjustments have been made.
Many counties with large losses do not have a special levy to support their schools.
Dr. Howard O'Cull, the Executive Director of the WV School Boards Association, has said there is a real downside related to declining school enrollment.
Programs, teachers and services are cut, and students will likely be short-changed.
Calhoun School Enrollment: Loss/Gain:
1991-1992 1700 +15
1992-1993 1689 -11
1993-1994 1705 +16
1994-1995 1671 -34
1995-1996 1633 -38
1996-1997 1589 -44
1997-1998 1558 -31
1998-1999 1476 -82
1999-2000 1430 -46
2000-2001 1318 -112
2001-2002 1289 -29
2002-2003 1283 -6
2003-2004 1216 -67
2004-2005 1187 -29
2005-2006 1180 -7
2006-2007 1153 -27
2007-2008 1151 -2
2008-2009 1126 -25
2009-2010 1104 -22
2010-2011 1126 +22
Public school enrollment in West Virginia has been increasing, with a modest increases of about 150 students annually.
The increases represent a small but continued reversal after years of enrollment declines.
But there is a continued drop in the state's high schools.
One of the main reasons for the slight increases is the implementation of the early childhood program, or pre-kindergarten.
The state has lost about 30,000 students since the 1999-2000 school year.
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