Elia: Good Sign For Local Economy, School Enrollment Is Up

For the first time in its history, the School District of Hillsborough County, the nation's eighth-largest school district, is on track this year to surpass the 200,000 mark in student enrollment, according to school officials.

In her travels throughout the county on the first day of school, Aug. 20, School Superintendent MaryEllen Elia reported seeing "more new homes being built."

"The economy is improving," she said, "and more families are moving in and choosing our schools.”

Also visiting schools the first day of school, April Griffin, chair of the Hillsborough County School Board, said she, too, saw increased enrollment as a good sign for the school district and the local economy.

"The schools were running smoothly, the principals were in charge, and the students seemed eager to be back,” she said, in a prepared release.

Student enrollment on Aug. 20, the first day of school for the 2013-14 school year, was up more than 2,800 students compared to the first day of school last year, according to a school district report.

The enrollment figure is for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12.

Among the noted details:

• Tuesday’s reported student enrollment of 186,817 was 2,863 higher than the first day of school last year.

• Each year, the student enrollment count increases significantly over the first weeks of school. For instance, enrollment increased 8,904 from the first day of school last school year to the third day of school, and increased 15,096 by the 20th day of school.

• If this year’s enrollment numbers follow a similar pattern, with significant increases over the next few weeks, the district could pass the 200,000 mark for the first time ever.