August 10, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
Fewer students are enrolled in the DeKalb County School System than this time last year.
Comparing the numbers for the first full week of school, total enrollment from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade district wide was 2,988 as of Thursday (August 10) down by 19 students from 3,007 last year.
More than a decade ago in August 2013, DeKalb County’s student enrollment district-wide was 3,052 or 64 more than today.
According to Attendance Supervisor Joey Reeder, the numbers for this month are down from last year in August by 43 students at DeKalb County High School and by 31 students at Smithville Elementary but the count is up by 28 at DeKalb Middle School, 15 at Northside Elementary, and by 13 at DeKalb West School.
Currently, the largest class by grade district-wide is the fifth grade with 248 students. The smallest class district-wide other than the pre-K classes is twelfth grade at 195 students.
As of Thursday, August 10 enrollment at each school was as follows compared to last year:
DCHS: 814 (down by 43 students) * In August 2013 DCHS enrollment was 834.
DeKalb Middle School: 572 (up by 28 students) *In August 2013, DMS enrollment stood at 592.
Northside Elementary: 592 (up by 15 students) *In August 2013, the Northside enrollment was 591.
Smithville Elementary: 550 (down by 31 students) * In August 2013, the Smithville Elementary enrollment was 621.
DeKalb West School: 460 (up by 13 students) *In August 2013, the DWS enrollment stood at 414.
The following is the current enrollment by grade system-wide:
Pre-K: Smithville Elementary-85 (up by 13)
Pre-K: DeKalb West-15 (down by 5)
Kindergarten: 214 (down by 2)
First Grade: 218 (down by 18)
Second Grade: 230 (down by 23)
Third Grade: 247 (up by 22)
Fourth Grade: 211 (down by 31)
Fifth Grade: 248 (up by 27)
Sixth Grade: 231(down by 1)
Seventh Grade: 237 (up by 8)
Eighth Grade: 238 (up by 35)
Ninth Grade: 211 (down by 15)
Tenth Grade: 206 (up by 1)
Eleventh Grade: 202 (down by 20)
Twelfth Grade: 195 (down by 10)
TOTAL ENROLLMENT DISTRICT-WIDE: 2,988 (down by 19)
The enrollment by school breaks down as follows:
Smithville Elementary: Pre-K 85, Kindergarten-167, First grade-166, and Second grade-132: Total 550
Northside Elementary: Second grade-39, Third grade-197, Fourth grade-166, Fifth grade-190: Total 592
DeKalb West School: Pre-K 15, Kindergarten-47, First grade-52, Second grade-59, Third grade-50, Fourth grade 45, Fifth grade-58, Sixth grade-43, Seventh grade-50, and Eighth grade 41: Total 460.
DeKalb Middle School: Sixth grade-188, Seventh grade-187, Eighth grade-197: Total 572
DeKalb County High School: Ninth grade-211. Tenth grade-206, Eleventh grade-202, and Twelfth grade-195: Total 814
Reeder also provided numbers on how the enrollment has been trending over the last 10 years district wide.
Year 2014: 3,005 students
2015: 3,015 students (up by 10 students)
2016: 2,950 students (down by 65 students)
2017: 3,039 students (up by 89 students)
2018: 2,993 students (down by 46 students)
2019: 2,999 students (up by 6 students)
2020: 2,881 students (down by 118 students)
2021: 3,044 students (up by 163 students)
2022: 3,007 students (down by 37 students)
2023: 2,988 students (down by 19 students)
Enrollment numbers at each school from 2014-2023:
Smithville Elementary: Year 2014-609; Year 2015-569; Year 2016-540; Year 2017-578; Year 2018-556; Year 2019-561; Year 2020-552; Year 2021-574; Year 2022-581; Year 2023-550
Northside Elementary: Year 2014-623; Year 2015-658; Year 2016-640; Year 2017-639; Year 2018-603; Year 2019-594; Year 2020-552; Year 2021-578; Year 2022-577; Year 2023-592
DeKalb West School: Year 2014-389; Year 2015-382; Year 2016-376; Year 2017-409; Year 2018-389; Year 2019-397; Year 2020-384; Year 2021-425; Year 2022-447; Year 2023-460
DeKalb Middle School: Year 2014-554; Year 2015-536; Year 2016-521; Year 2017-546; Year 2018-572; Year 2019-607; Year 2020-579; Year 2021-577; Year 2022-544; Year 2023-572
DeKalb County High School: Year 2014-830; Year 2015-867; Year 2016-864; Year 2017-867; Year 2018-873; Year 2019-840; Year 2020-832; Year 2021-890; Year 2022-857; Year 2023-814