
Superintendent Dr. Dan Lere said attendance throughout the school system is down between 150 and 175 students compared to the beginning of last school year.
Lere described the drop in students as a “mystery,” using Columbus Elementary and Deming High School as examples of the drop.
He said Columbus has 650 students enrolled but only about 600 have been attending so far this school year. Interestingly, the number of students attending from Mexico is not significantly different.
And, Lere said, the high school is even more baffling because DHS graduated some 320 students in May and last month welcomed an incoming freshman class of about 435, but instead of having 115 more students, they are down over 100.
Lere said next year’s funding will be based on an average of attendance on the 40th and 80th days of this school year.
Since the district receives approximately $4,000 per student, the current numbers would mean a drop of funding to the tune of $600,000 next school year.
Lere speculated that some families have moved from the area so parents could find work.
He said staff members are working now to balance classrooms throughout the district.