WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — For the first time since the pandemic, Wichita Public Schools saw an increase in elementary students this year. This is also the first year of state-wide open enrollment, which allows Kansas families to choose which district they’d like to be in.
Traditional K-12 enrollment in Wichita Public Schools increased by one student this school year. After factoring in a decrease in enrollment for adults in programs like degree completion, overall enrollment went down.
A representative for the district said there’s no indication open enrollment affected those numbers.
USD 259 has more about the same number of traditional K-12 students as last year and is seeing a 20-year high in high school students, now numbering 13,542, a slight increase over last year.
The district says open enrollment is not having a major impact on their numbers.
“We do know that we had 67 students who went through that open enrollment process that we have this year, but we have hundreds that from outside the district who come every year,” said Susan Arensman, USD 259 communications supervisor.