Nodaway Valley Community Schools Anticipate Enrollment Growth

Early projections indicate a promising increase in student enrollment at Nodaway Valley Community Schools for the current academic year. These insights were shared by Superintendent Dr. Pam Stangeland during a recent meeting with the school board. The projections come as the school district is finalizing its certified enrollment report, which was collected on October 1, 2023, and is set for submission today, October 15, 2023.

The certified enrollment, as defined by the Iowa Association of School Boards, provides an annual snapshot of resident students for the district. This data is crucial as it determines funding levels for schools. Dr. Stangeland noted, “These few days are just an opportunity for us to make sure all of our data is aligned. I’ll be asking my administrative team to take a look at their data.”

Among the factors contributing to the anticipated growth is the addition of 52 students from Orient-Macksburg. Dr. Stangeland expressed optimism regarding the final enrollment figures, stating, “I believe our numbers are going to be up this year with our growth.”

Should the final numbers confirm an increase in enrollment, it would mark a significant turnaround from the previous year, when the district experienced a decline of 29 students. Over the last decade, Nodaway Valley has seen slight fluctuations in its enrollment figures. The highest enrollment in recent years was 664.3 students in the 2023-24 academic year, while the lowest was 615.5 in 2021-22. The certified enrollment count for the 2015-16 school year was 660, while last year’s count stood at 635.1.

As the school year progresses and the final enrollment data becomes available, Nodaway Valley Community Schools looks forward to confirming the positive trends indicated in early projections. The outcome will have significant implications for the district’s funding and future planning.