NAMPA, Idaho — This story originally appeared in The Idaho Press.
The tail end of 2023 saw controversy surrounding the Nampa School District’s (NSD) plan to close four schools by the next academic year. The decision came as a shock to many in the community, but the district has maintained that conversations had been ongoing for years.
One factor has stood at the center of those conversations — low enrollment.
Nampa has seen a consistent decrease in its student enrollment over the past decade.
Since the 2013-2014 academic year, the NSD has seen a decrease of over 1,700 students, losing an equivalent of 11.5% of its student population.
“The fall of 2017, we noticed a pretty sharp decline in our student enrollment,” Nampa Superintendent Greg Russell said in a previous interview with the Idaho Press. “We missed some of our projections, which usually doesn’t happen.”
Nampa hasn’t been alone in this trend.
The 2023-2024 academic year has been the first time in a decade that public schools in Idaho have seen a statewide decrease in enrollment, not accounting for the peak of the pandemic in 2020, as first reported by IdahoEdNews. Fall of 2023 saw 1,500 fewer students than the year prior.
Based on the Idaho Department of Education’s historical data, the state as a whole has lost over 29,000 students since the 2013-2014 school year.
Enrollment data is based on reports from the Idaho State Department of Education. Dates go back a decade to 2013-2014, or to the first year the school was in session.
Elevate Academy — Nampa
2023-2024: 414
2019-2020: 256
Gem Prep — Nampa
2023-2024: 509
2016-2017: 194
Idaho Arts Charter School
2023-2024: 1,367
2013-2014: 766
Legacy Charter School
2023-2024: 312
2013-2014: 290
Liberty Charter School
2023-2024: 509
2013-2014: 429
Pathways in Education — Nampa
2023-2024: 299
2017-2018: 106
Victory Charter School
2023-2024: 515
2013-2014: 417
The consequences of low enrollment show monetarily for districts. Idaho currently functions on attendance-based funding, meaning, if 90% of students show up to school on average, the district will receive funding for 90% of its students.
Schools temporarily received enrollment-based funding due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but have since returned to relying on attendance. Moving from enrollment- to attendance-based funding lost the NSD $5.5 million annually, according to the district.
With the switch to attendance-based funding and lower enrollment, districts are taking a double hit.
While the NSD has made large adjustments and continues to look at cost-saving measures, such as a recent shift away from an A/B block schedule, other districts are seeing a similar drop in enrollment.
The Bigger Picture
Idaho has continued to see high growth rates, ranking fourth out of all states for population growth in 2023.
Nampa’s declining enrollment doesn’t align with the city’s growing population. From 2015 to 2023, Nampa has seen over 25,000 new residents, a 28.9% population increase, according to the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho.
Yet, the NSD’s current enrollment is most comparable to its total enrollment during the 2004-2005 school year, back when the city’s population was smaller.
Despite the state’s growth, other neighboring districts have seen enrollment decreases as well.
In the past year, the Boise School District saw a 2.1% decrease in enrollment. The Caldwell School District has also seen a 2.1% decrease.
CSD Director of Communications Jessica Watts said there are many potential factors impacting decreased enrollment including an aging population and lack of affordable housing.
“To address declining enrollment — the district is advocating for affordable housing in the city of Caldwell,” Watts wrote in an email.
Before 2020, the West Ada School District had seen consistent growth in its enrollment. In the past few years, numbers have begun to fluctuate. The district saw a 0.3% increase in enrollment from 2022 to 2023, less than its average 2% annual increase.
While Idaho district administrators have been well aware of the enrollment drop, none seem to agree as to why.
Niki Scheppers, West Ada’s chief of staff and communications, attributed the changes in enrollment to various factors including the economy, housing market, school-choice programs and population shifts.
“Enrollment fluctuations are part of the educational landscape, and we are well-prepared to adapt to ensure a seamless learning experience for our students,” Scheppers said.
Despite declines in enrollment, the Boise, Caldwell and West Ada districts said there are no plans to close any schools.
Growing Alternatives to Public Schools
While the public schools have seen a shrinking student population, some charter schools have had waiting lists.
From 2013 to 2023, Idaho charter school enrollment increased by nearly 13,000 students, a 66% increase.
According to the Idaho State Department of Education, charter schools are defined as free, public schools that are formed by educators or community members.
Charters are subject to the same regulations as public schools but are operated by independent boards. With innovative teaching methods, charters offer an alternative to students’ assigned public schools.
Nampa currently hosts five private schools and seven charters. As of the 2023-2024 school year, the Idaho Department of Education reported that 3,925 students are enrolled in Nampa charter schools.
While some charter schools have seen minimal growth, none in Nampa have seen an overall decrease in enrollment.
Idaho Arts Charter School was established in Nampa by a group of parents in 2003. Executive Director Ed Longfield described their enrollment as being at an all-time high.
Since 2013, the arts school’s enrollment has grown by 600 students.
Longfield spent 30 years of his career in public education before moving to Idaho from Colorado. His past two years at the charter school have shown him another side of education.
“I like the charter school movement because it allows families from all different backgrounds and socio-economic means to choose,” he said.
While students can come from other cities and school districts, Longfield has seen a strong majority of enrollment coming from Nampa locals. He considered the school’s population to be largely representative of Nampa’s.
Longfield previously served as superintendent in a Colorado public district and empathized with the challenges of obtaining funding for public schools.
According to Idaho Department of Education Communications Director Scott Graf, 33 states do not allow open enrollment across districts and 37 do not have laws addressing in-district open enrollment.
Comparatively, Idaho is flexible. Both in-district and out-of-district open enrollment is allowed with fewer restrictions, allowing families more choices.
“Idaho is a national leader when it comes to school choice and rather than viewing one type of educational outlet as a ‘threat,’ we celebrate the long list of school choice options Idaho parents have available to them,” Graf wrote in an email.
Nampa had 414 students approved for 2023-2024 open enrollment from out of the district, according to NSD spokesperson Kathleen Tuck. The number of open-enrollment students who proceeded to register in the NSD is unavailable.
As for students transferring out of Nampa, the Boise School District approved 29 students from the NSD and West Ada approved 51 students. According to Tuck, the district does not have information on other districts’ approvals.
In Longfield’s previous Colorado district, approximately 60% of students came by choice and did not live in the district.
“They chose us,” Longfield said.
He believes having a niche helps with enrollment, a strength he has seen both at Idaho Arts and at schools in Colorado.
Idaho Arts offers a variety of paths, allowing students to explore acting, dance, ceramics and more. Longfield said a new mariachi program is in the works.
In attempts to increase the NSD’s enrollment, Russell said the district had given some schools specializations, like Centennial Elementary implementing an arts-supported curriculum. They have also promoted open enrollment to let parents pick and choose their preferred schools.
“I think the charter school movement, along with the school choice movement, has been very good,” Longfield said. “You have to put together something that people want, and you have to keep stretching and growing. ... I love that aspect of it. You just can’t grow stagnant. You have to keep building and improving.”
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist:
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET NEWS FROM KTVB:
Download the KTVB News Mobile App
Apple iOS: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Watch news reports for FREE on YouTube: KTVB YouTube channel
Stream Live for FREE on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching 'KTVB'.
Stream Live for FREE on FIRE TV: Search ‘KTVB’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
