Parish public school enrollment down, Eunice schools up

St. Landry Parish public school enrollment decreased to 14,452 students, about a 1 percent decrease while total enrollment at Eunice area schools rose by nearly 2 percent.
The current year enrollment numbers are as of Sept. 18. The 2014 enrollment numbers were as of Sept. 19.
Superintendent Edward Brown, in an e-mail, said there is no particular reason for the enrollment decline.
Tressa Miller, finance director, said the school system receives about $8,000 in funding per student, which means the enrollment decline cost the school district about $1 million.
Central Middle School in Eunice saw its enrollment rise from 369 to 395, a 7 percent increase.
Other Eunice area schools and their September enrollments and the change from 2014 are:
East Elementary, 295 students, up 4.6 percent.
Eunice Elementary, 277 students, down 1 percent.
Eunice High School, 660 students, down 0.8 percent.
Eunice Junior High School, 285 students, down 1.5 percent.
Glendale Elementary, 353 students, up 6.6 percent.
Highland Elementary, 245 students, up 1.2 percent.
Total Eunice area enrollment is 2,610, up from 2,560 in September 2014.
The Eunice area enrollment is about 18 percent of total enrollment in the parish.
Parish-wide, the school system includes 58 percent black students and 38 percent white students.
Among high schools, Beau Chene has the largest enrollment at 886 students.
Enrollments at other high schools are: Magnet Academy of Cultural Arts, 311; North Central, 298; Northwest, 531; Opelousas, 718; Port Barre, 453.
Elementary school enrollment this year compared to 2014 includes:
Arnaudville, 201; down from 205.
Cankton, 624; up from 580.
Grand Coteau, 322; down from 342.
Grand Prairie, 348; up from 343.
Grolee, 468; down from 490.
Krotz Springs, 312; up from 308.
Lawtell, 760; down from 772.
Leonville, 578; down from 643.
North Elementary, 262; up from 228.
Northeast, 484; down from 518.
Palmetto Elementary, 266; up from 264.
Park Vista, 853; down from 888.
Plaisance, 230; down from 282.
Port Barre, 566, down from 581.
South Street, 375; down from 390.
Southwest, 360; up from 330.
Sunset, 360; up from 337.
Washington, 140; down from 166.
Other school enrollments include: Opelousas Junior High, 382, up from 372; and Port Barre Middle, 350; down from 432.
The Center for Academic Programs’ enrollment is 109 this year, down from 125 a year ago.
St. Landry Accelerated Transition School enrollment is 201, up from 158 a year ago.