Schools Enrollments

South Pasadena schools could stand to lose more than $600,000 in revenue and Los Angeles schools more than $1 million if the 6.2-mile Long Beach Freeway extension is built, a consultant this week told a committee seeking to mitigate the effects of the project. Richard Burke of Engineering Sciences said the homes of 471 students would have to be razed to make way for the extension of the 710 Freeway.

For those concerned about the shortage of doctors in the U.S. healthcare system, here is a bit of good news: The number of students enrolling in medical schools has reached its highest level in a decade. More than 19,200 people entered their first year of medical school in 2011, a 3% increase over 2010, according to new data from the nonprofit Assn. of American Medical Colleges. The number of enrollees has been growing steadily since 2001, when medical schools reported 16,365 students entering their first year of medical school.

The Garden Grove Unified School District will consider proposed attendance boundary changes for the 1991-92 school year that would affect about 335 students, a district spokesman said Thursday. The changes, to be discussed at a board meeting June 4, are intended to balance enrollment at intermediate schools, ease overcrowding at Heritage and Marshall elementary schools and increase enrollment at Paine and Carrillo elementary schools, district spokesman Alan Trudell said.

A federal judge in Sacramento has rebuffed efforts by the nation's largest for-profit school chain to dismiss a massive fraud case, paving the way for a trial in which the University of Phoenix could be liable for millions of dollars in damages. U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell, in an order released Monday, rejected the university's contention that a $9.8-million settlement it made with the federal government should end the lawsuit.

More than 24,400 students will attend public schools in the Thousand Oaks area this fall--up more than 700 from last year, Conejo Valley Unified School District officials said Wednesday. Supt. Jerry Gross said it is the second-highest increase the district has had in a decade. Over the last five years, the district has grown by an average of 350 students a year, he said.

Re "Fewer Pupils Create More Worries," July 31 Wow! Declining enrollment means less money for schools and this worries school administrators and teachers! This shows the true character of school districts, extorting the most from the taxpayer. This is a wonderful opportunity to reduce class sizes, get rid of substandard teachers, reduce bureaucracy and make schools what they should be in the first place -- a place for learning. CARLOS CUYUGAN Lake Forest Public schools could boost their enrollments by working harder to stem the flow of dropouts.

A five-year plan that addresses housing and enrollment issues across Newport-Mesa Unified School District is the topic for a special meeting of trustees today. The board will review a draft of a plan to address districtwide student population growth. The proposal includes three phases to be implemented by 2001. Some of the long-term solutions include adjusting school boundaries and adding portable buildings.

Community Elementary Intermediate High School College Year (K-9) (7-8) (9-12) (13-14) 1989 195,312 50,416 108,612 *180,840 1988 185,992 48,941 109,758 177,892 1987 177,745 49,182 111,634 167,110 1986 171,669 48,294 117,100 166,806 1985 165,503 48,635 116,213 **154,833 1984 160,587 51,745 116,897 164,961 1983 159,385 55,371 113,520 170,019 1982 161,745 56,889 113,400 192,957 1981 166,933 54,516 116,048 205,622 1980 170,979 53,495 115,843 194,175 Note: Numbers are for full-time and part-time

Roman Catholic elementary schools, struggling to remain affordable in the face of declining enrollments, continue to win respect as an alternative to American public education. Three of four parochial school teachers are not priests or sisters, however, and 10% of the students are not Catholic.

For those concerned about the shortage of doctors in the U.S. healthcare system, here is a bit of good news: The number of students enrolling in medical schools has reached its highest level in a decade. More than 19,200 people entered their first year of medical school in 2011, a 3% increase over 2010, according to new data from the nonprofit Assn. of American Medical Colleges. The number of enrollees has been growing steadily since 2001, when medical schools reported 16,365 students entering their first year of medical school.

Re "Fewer Pupils Create More Worries," July 31 Wow! Declining enrollment means less money for schools and this worries school administrators and teachers! This shows the true character of school districts, extorting the most from the taxpayer. This is a wonderful opportunity to reduce class sizes, get rid of substandard teachers, reduce bureaucracy and make schools what they should be in the first place -- a place for learning. CARLOS CUYUGAN Lake Forest Public schools could boost their enrollments by working harder to stem the flow of dropouts.

After a decade of explosive student enrollment growth, the Los Angeles Unified School District experienced an unanticipated drop this year because of high housing costs, the sluggish economy and declining birthrates, officials said Friday. The dip of more than 2,000 students from last year's peak of nearly 730,000 could mean the loss of $46 million in state funding and the reassignment of dozens of teachers.

DeVry Inc. shares fell 22% after enrollment at the biggest U.S. chain of business and technical schools for adults increased less than expected this fall. In addition, the school was sued by three former students who said their education at DeVry left them ill-prepared. DeVry, based in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., denied the lawsuit's allegations in a news release. The company's shares fell $8.38 to close at $30.31 on the NYSE. The stock, which reached a 52-week high of $41.

School board members in the Conejo Valley Unified School District will vote tonight on annual enrollment limits designed to ensure that all schools have proportional student populations. Each year, parents are allowed to petition for an intra-district transfer for their children. Parents this year have until March 31. Although district officials say they like to fulfill parents' requests, transfers can upset the balance, so a cap is placed on enrollment at each school.

Enrollment at Los Angeles Unified Schools, the country's second-largest public school system, rose 2% from last year--the fifth year in a row that student population has increased, officials said Monday. The increase of 14,044 students brings the enrollment for kindergarten through 12th grade to 711,187, officials said. This year's gains include 7,575 more elementary school students and 6,469 middle school and high school pupils.

More than 24,400 students will attend public schools in the Thousand Oaks area this fall--up more than 700 from last year, Conejo Valley Unified School District officials said Wednesday. Supt. Jerry Gross said it is the second-highest increase the district has had in a decade. Over the last five years, the district has grown by an average of 350 students a year, he said.

The Baldwin Park Unified School District has 14,000 students this semester, an increase of 370 over last year's enrollment. A spokesman said the district has had a steady growth of about 3% a year for the past five years because new housing is attracting young families. There are 8,273 children in Baldwin Park's 12 elementary schools this year, about 200 more than last fall.

Latino and Asian enrollment in the Long Beach Unified School District is continuing to grow gradually, according to a survey by district officials. The survey, conducted each year to plot the district's racial and ethnic makeup, showed that 39.6% of the district's 64,000 students are white, down slightly from last year's 41.5%. In contrast, Latino students constituted 23.7% of total enrollment--a gain of 1.

Families that applied for seats in the school district's open enrollment program should receive notification by mail between Monday and June 18 on whether their child will be able to attend the school of their choice, officials said.

Taking the final step toward launching a four-year university in Ventura County, Cal State trustees agreed Wednesday to take possession of a shuttered mental hospital in Camarillo and convert it into a college campus set to open next year.