North Cook News

At its Oct. 24 meeting, The Wilmette Public Schools Board of Education received an update on current enrollment trends in the district and how the numbers compare to previous years.

According to Tony DeMonte, the district’s administrator for technology, information, and safety, the district takes a snapshot of its enrollment on Oct. 1 each year to get an idea of enrollment trends.

“We typically were about 30 or 40 fewer every year anyway,” he told the board. “So, it's around 90 to 100 students that just left. And I'm not sure where they went. And once they leave, I'm not sure we know where they go. So was it home schooling? Was it private school? I don't know.”

DeMonte noted that this year’s snapshot found there were 3,304 students enrolled in District 39. When including students outplaced elsewhere or taking a program in the district the number is 3,356.

During the 2020-2021 school year, the district lost 130 students and they have not returned, according to DeMonte, who noted the students didn’t have any specific reason to leave, nor did they have anywhere to go, other than changes that were a result of the pandemic. He said birth rates have been declining in recent years, which impacts enrollment. 

DeMonte also told the board that he would provide an update at the next meeting on projections and trends for enrollment.

DeMonte also noted that the district has a third-party firm that provides projections each year, and he noted that based on last year’s projections and trends, it is hoped that the decline, which has been going on for several years, will bottom out this year.