Students waiting in line for lunch at Lone Oak Elementary.
PADUCAH - Enrollment in public schools dropped more than 20% nationwide from 2012 to 2022, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau which analyzed Kindergarten to 12th grade students.
This data also showed an enrollment decrease in Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
School leaders said explaining these enrollment trends is complicated because districts need to consider the pandemic, the appeal of options like homeschooling and the community's population.
Hungry kids during lunch is a recipe for lots of food and energy, which is the kind of environment administrators, like Brian Bowland with McCracken County Public Schools, want.
"We just need to make sure that we're doing a good job of teaching students and when we do that, that retains students and that attracts people into our school district," said Bowland.
Brian Bowland with McCracken County Schools
Bowland said between 2012 and 2024, the district had an overall drop of about 265 kids.
He attributes this to the rise in homeschooling and shifts in population.
At Livingston County Schools, enrollment decreased by 10% after the pandemic.
School leaders point to a migration away from rural areas that Director of Pupil Personnel Amy Ramage said has been happening over the past decade.
Amy Ramage, the director of pupil personnel at Livingston County Schools
"Rural areas across the state are showing a decrease not only in enrollment for public school education but also in the county population," said Ramage.
To help with enrollment, Livingston County Schools incorporated programs like welding, nursing and health sciences.
Leaders at McCracken County School want to provide a quality education for students throughout the region.
"What our hope is, is that again we provide an opportunity for students to learn and to develop. That each and every resident in McCracken County that has a school aged child selects to send their child to McCracken County Schools cause it's a safe learning environment," said Bowland.
In Illinois, there was a 1.7% decrease in enrollment. Missouri experienced a 2.7% decrease in enrollment. Tennessee had a 4.1% decrease, and Kentucky had the largest enrollment decrease at 4.6%.
Paducah Public Schools Superintendent Donald Shively said his district saw a dip coming out of COVID-19. However, he said preliminary numbers for the next school year show enrollment closer to pre-COVID-19 numbers.
