Peoria Unified losing enrollment to charter schools
JACOB STANEK
Enrollment at Peoria Unified School District has been declining, and new data shows the service rate for school age population will continue to steadily decline during the next 10 years. Part of the decline has been from parents choosing charter schools for their younger children.
Enrollment at Peoria Unified School District has been shifting, and new data shows the service rate for their school-age population will continue to steadily decline over the next 10 years.
In the last decade, the district’s service rate decreased from about 83% to 72%.
New data shows the service rate in 2030 is projected to be about 69%, with an estimated enrollment of 32,200.
Current district enrollment is 31,290.
Meanwhile, alternative educational providers have chartered a different course, increasing school sites and student populations, more than doubling enrollment in that time, according to Applied Economics, who conducted a district-wide demographic and enrollment analysis.
Kevin Molino, PUSD’s chief technology and operations officer and acting superintendent, said the district has experienced substantial housing and school-age population growth, however, the corresponding increase in enrollment has been largely offset by the aging of the existing population and the increase of alternative providers, such as charter and private schools.
He added future PUSD enrollment levels are likely to be impacted by additional alternative providers in the northern part of the district, however the amount could be limited by an early provision of service to new communities.
“In the central and southern areas, that population is aging out and families are moving to the north side, and that’s where our population is increasing,” he said. “Pretty much the same data we have known for the last few years, but the students that are choosing private and charter schools is also increasing.”
Enrollment Projections
There are 23 charter schools and 11 private schools located within the district boundaries or within one mile of the district. The private schools enroll about 2,200 students. The charter schools enroll about 10,200 students — an increase of nearly 5,500 students since the 2010-11 school year, pulling students away from the district.
PUSD once had a bigger share of the area’s enrollment — the current net difference between the district’s school age population and in-district enrollment is about 11,800 persons, up from 6,500 persons in 2010.
In the next decade, school age population in the district is expected to increase by about 4,200, while in-district enrollment is expected to grow by about 900 students, according to Applied Economics.
Molino said charter school enrollment is heavily weighted toward early grades, with a significant drop-off at the high school level. Most of the alternative providers offer K-6 or K-8 services, he said.
“As students are entering their high school years, they want more of a comprehensive environment that includes the arts, CTE, athletic type programs, just to name a few. And that’s where we see the shift from charter schools, as they move into middle schools and high schools, they want those added services.”
This enrollment trend between charter schools and PUSD schools is not expected to go away. As growth continues up to Carefree Highway and Lake Pleasant, the district’s far northern reaches will need schools. There are no educational providers in that area yet, but that will soon change, and Molino said projections for that area could be drastically impacted by those who provide additional services in that area.
He added if a private or charter school opens in that area before PUSD opens a school, it will impact district numbers even greater.
“We can’t forecast what other providers will do, but we can remain focused on providing the best learning opportunities for students within our school district,” Molino said.
Addressing Issues
In recent years, the district has addressed overpopulation in the north and underused facilities in other parts of the district.
Last summer, the school board considered repurposing or closing Desert Palms, Pioneer and Sky View elementary schools, located in the district’s southern region, but that effort was suspended.
District officials said the primary need at that time was to focus on the “academic success of students and recovery from the interrupted learning during the pandemic.”
Since then, the school board has approved funding for overcrowded schools in the northern part of the district.
Molino said the “largest and most immediate needs” are at Lake Pleasant Elementary School and Liberty High School, when it comes to facilities master planning.
To address this, facility additions at those schools are expected to be ready sometime in 2024.
Other adjustments included moving the district’s e-campus program from Peoria High School to Kachina Elementary School, as well as moving the district’s copy center and Food & Nutrition from a warehouse to Pioneer Elementary School.
“We are currently looking at what other programs can be shifted to continue to use our space in the most efficient and effective ways,” Molino said.
Bond Failures
Much of the district’s struggle with addressing growth issues has been the electorate’s distaste for bond authorizations.
Three bond attempts have failed since the 2012 bond was approved by voters, and the district expended those funds about a year ago.
This has had a significant impact on the district’s budget, with officials trying to find alternative sources for essential and priority school renovations, as well as comprehensive building and site maintenance.
Additionally, in an about-face last month, the majority of the Peoria Unified School District governing board voted against putting a $250 million bond on the ballot for the 2023 general election.
Aside from needed maintenance and facility improvements, as well as technology and transportation needs, the biggest need is for a new high school and elementary school in the northern part of the city.
Enrollment has continued to increase at those schools but new data shows Liberty’s growth rate has slowed. Past data estimated Liberty would cross the 3,000 enrollment mark in 2027-28 school year. New data projects it will pass that mark in the 2031-32 school year.
But officials say this won’t change the need for a bond.
Molino said bond authorizations are critical to the district’s success.
“While we will not have a bond authorization on the ballot for this November, we will need to explore opportunities for the near future so that we can continue to provide our students with the spaces and resources they deserve in order to be successful,” he said.
Enrollment Over The Years
Enrollment grew by nearly 5,000 students, or 15%, between the 2000-01 school year and the 2007-08 school year, then declined by about 2,100 through 2012, as a result of the housing market bust and the recession that followed, according to the district.
After that, an increase occurred through the 2019-20 school year, with a student population increase of 1,069. But enrollment has dropped by 1,100 since then, due to COVID-19 impacts and alternative providers.
Since the 2017-18 school year, overall district enrollment has declined by 1% to 3% per year, mostly driven by declines in the school-age population in the region and state, the district said.
Molino said the district looks at enrollment trends for 10 years, and has been focused on the tremendous growth in the northern portion of the district.
“We also take multiple variables into consideration, such as alternative providers, inflation, cost of land, housing, birth rates, etc. Growth of alternative providers is just one aspect that the district looks at when considering facility usage and needs,” he said.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman. We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Philip Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
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