- Wisconsin public schools have seen a 9% drop in student enrollment since 2011 but a 7% increase in staffing.
- The decline in student population is largely attributed to the state’s falling birth rate since 2007.
- Despite fewer students, districts have hired more staff to address growing needs, like mental health and academic gaps.
- Financial strain from this trend may force districts to close schools, reduce staff or cut educational programs.
Wisconsin public schools are employing more staff despite serving about 80,000 fewer students than they did 16 years ago, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum.
Since the 2010-11 school year, the number of students enrolled in the state’s public schools has fallen more than 9% to about 792,000 students this school year. Meanwhile, the number of staff in schools increased 7%, and the number of public schools decreased about 3%, the Policy Forum reported.
With state funding tied to student counts, enrollment declines put additional strain on district budgets. The Policy Forum warned “the cost pressures of increased staffing will grow” as districts seek to maintain their workforces with shrinking revenues.
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“I would not characterize MMSD as having an increasing student enrollment despite the change in these selected years,” he said in an email.