(The Center Square) - Public school enrollment in Oklahoma increased for the second year in a row but has yet to return to pre-pandemic heights, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
The latest OSDE numbers for the 2022-23 school year show 701,258 students enrolled in public school from Pre-K through 12th grade. That’s up by 2,562 students since last year and 7,145 students since the 2020-21 school year when the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing, according to OSDE data.
Before COVID-19, public school enrollment in Oklahoma steadily increased since 2010, reaching a peak of 703,650 the year before the pandemic hit. OSDE numbers show public school enrollment dropped by over 9,500 students in the 2020-2021 school year.
That trend was also observed in a report by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, which found public school enrollment dropped in nearly every state. In Oklahoma, public schools lost thousands of students, while charter schools experienced an enrollment increase of over 29%.
Though the exact enrollment numbers in the National Alliance report varied from ODSE, the same trend was observed - a drop in public school enrollment around the first year of the pandemic, then gradually increasing again but not to pre-pandemic heights.
“Enrollment figures are calculated in many different ways. As such, other researchers, media outlets, and individuals may arrive at slightly different numbers based upon calculation methods,” the authors of the National Alliance report wrote.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister said the data shows families recognize the value of their local public schools.
“Our public schools are consistently implementing the Ready Together Oklahoma plan and other strategies to help students succeed in the wake of challenges spurred by the global pandemic. As enrollment steadily increases, it is important that the state Legislature ensure our educators are well-prepared to provide a high-quality education,” said Hofmeister.
via Oklahoma's Center Square News