South Carolina area districts note enrollment slump this year after high population growth  

York County’s Rock Hill in South Carolina has enjoyed “some of the highest population growth in the state for decades” – yet this year, it marked enrollment declines across six area districts, a recent report noted. 

Some education officials blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and a decline in 2020 birth rates for the drop – reflecting a statewide loss of 7,694 students this year to 789,086 statewide. 

“We had a pandemic, and birthrates were down at that time,” Clover School District spokeswoman Stephanie Knott told McClatchy’s The Herald. “That’s why all districts appear to be down in enrollment this year.” 

Nevertheless, the “startling shift” was enough to cause the Rock Hill school board to discuss next steps in an October meeting, according to The Herald. 

“This is not sustainable to lose 300, 400 kids a year,” Pete Nosal, board member, said at the time. 

Because enrollment is linked to school funding, it’s “a critical variable for districts that have to plan classroom space, teacher hiring and per pupil spending,” The Herald notes. 

“Enrollment also impacts school activities from high school sports to marching band competitions.” 

A closer look at kindergarten enrollment 

While journalists acknowledged the pandemic “clearly impacted birth rates that feed into school enrollment,” not everyone is convinced it will have a long-term detrimental effect. 

“South Carolina averaged 57,225 births per year from 2011 to 2019, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health,” The Herald explains. 

“Then, births dropped to 55,713 in 2020. That’s a decrease of more than 1,330 births in a year and the lowest total since 2003.” 

However, the number of state births soared in 2021 (57,179) and 2022 (57,828), marking the “highest count since 2015,” according to The Herald. 

“It’s impossible to say what trend the state would’ve seen without the pandemic, but an increase in births since reverses what had been a steady drop that began a decade ago.” 

Kindergarten enrollment accounted for approximately 17% of the enrollment decline, The Herald reported. 

“Rock Hill region school districts have 185 fewer kindergarten students compared to last year. They have 1,082 fewer total students, mirroring the state mark of 17% for the kindergarten share of enrollment decreases.” 

However, some districts are downplaying the change in numbers as “within typical year-to-year fluctuation” that may not affect long-term planning. 

“While we track enrollment trends closely,” said Rock Hill’s spokeswoman Laurabree Monday, “we also remain focused on serving — and celebrating — the more than 15,500 students and families who choose Rock Hill Schools every day.”