PUSD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian McDonald on Monday announced the formation of a committee to address the challenges of declining student enrollment in the district.
The Superintendent’s Enrollment Committee is twenty-three-member task force which launched a series of meetings on June 8 to review and analyze enrollment statistics, demographics, and socio-economic data, and to brainstorm strategies to increase enrollment, and make a real difference.
The committee includes representatives of the Pasadena Education Network, Pasadena Educational Foundation, principals, teachers, the district administration, parents, students, union leaders, PUSD Board Member, Jennifer Hall Lee and consultants, according to a statement.
“The PUSD is committed to supporting the needs of our schools, students, faculty, and communities, and declining enrollment is something that we’re facing as a collective,” said Superintendent McDonald.
“After two years of a global pandemic, the impacts feel amplified; however, with our very capable enrollment committee, our efforts will be intentional about understanding the why behind the drops and sharing ideas on how to increase enrollment.”
The Superintendent’s Enrollment Committee is charged with preparing a strategic plan that addresses stabilizing and increasing enrollment, academic quality, school safety, and responsiveness to parents.
State-wide, public school student enrollment dropped to the lowest levels in two decades; many school districts throughout California are experiencing declines. A district statement attributed the declines to reduced fertility rates, domestic out-migration, lack of affordable housing, federal policies restricting immigration, and other pandemic-related matters.
The district’s statement asserted that increased student enrollment directly helps the communities and families served by PUSD. More importantly, the district said, “increased enrollment stabilizes the PUSD budget, which improves employees’ morale where resources are available to compensate them and support their work adequately.”
PUSD is currently actively enrolling students for schools in Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre for the upcoming school year.
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