MALHEUR COUNTY
Enrollment numbers for the 2020-21 school year show schools in Malheur County as pretty near the mark for the prior enrollment year which finished amidst the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some schools saw enrollment dip or rise by anywhere from two to 43 students, according to data in the Oregon Department of Educationâs 2020-21 Fall Membership Report released on Feb. 4. Overall, the data shows enrollment declines at all school districts except one, and points to a 3.7% drop in statewide enrollment, with more than 1/4 of that in kindergarten, a trend noted in most states across the country.
Although enrollment is a key factor in distributing school funding, the funding level is fixed and the funding distribution formula is flexible enough to accommodate this decline without significantly impacting dollars needed to support Oregonâs students, ODE noted in a news release with its report.Â