(Des Moines, IA) -- Enrollment in schools dropped a little more than one percent this fall. The Iowa Department of Education says the largest decreases were in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, followed by Davenport, Iowa City, Council Bluffs, Waterloo, Sioux City, Dubuque, Burlington, and West Des Moines. Enrollment was down by nearly 6,000 students.
The state's 327-school districts recorded a decline of 5,935 students from last year. Overall this decrease represents a 1.21 percent decline in certified enrollment this fall, 484,159 compared to 490,094 last year.
This is the first time that certified school enrollment in Iowa has dropped in ten years.
Certified enrollment decreased at 215 school districts representing 66 percent of all public school districts in the state.
The department says there was an increase in students enrolled in home school assistance programs this school year. A total of 8,735 students were enrolled in fall 2020 compared to 7,103 in fall 2019. In a home school assistance program students receive some services through their local school district.
The Department of Education will be meeting with the Iowa Legislature and the governor’s office to discuss the potential impact of declining enrollment.