LINCOLN PARK — Chicago Public Schools announced another enrollment drop from a year ago this week based on attendance on the 10th day of classes, but that trend wasn't felt across Lincoln Park and Old Town.
Lincoln Park Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) has said repeatedly in recent years that the area is undergoing a baby boom, and that was generally reflected in school enrollment this year.
Lincoln Elementary, 615 W. Kemper Place, saw its enrollment rise 5 percent to 898 students.
Only Alcott Elementary, 2652 N. Orchard St., Newberry Math & Science Academy, 700 W. Willow St., and Lincoln Park High School, 2001 N. Orchard, registered declines, and they were minor. As a result, Alcott had its budget cut $15,000, 0.2 percent, Newberry $2,000 to remain almost level and Lincoln Park High 0.6 percent, although the $88,000 cut will still be felt.
Even Jenner Academy of the Arts, 1119 N. Cleveland Ave., and Manierre Elementary, 1420 N. Hudson Ave., saw slight increases, to 225 and 282 students. As a result, both had their budgets bumped up by about 2 percent this week.
Jenner might have benefited from its planned merger with Ogden Elementary, 24 W. Walton St., one of only a handful of Chicago Public Schools to add more than 100 students this fall.
Mayer Magnet, 2250 N. Clifton Ave., registered a slight increase in enrollment, but saw its budget cut $847 to remain level for the most part. LaSalle Language Academy, 1734 N. Orleans St., was level in enrollment, and Skinner North Classical, 640 W. Scott Ave., and Franklin Fine Arts Center, 225 W. Evergreen Ave., enjoyed slight increases, with all receiving slight increases in budget.
The newly expanded Payton College Prep, 1034 N. Wells St., saw enrollment rise 9.5 percent to 1,072, but had its already increased budget nudged down by 0.1 percent or about $4,000 this week.
Projected budgets over the summer were based on a per-student formula of $4,590 for students in kindergarten through third grade, $4,290 each for fourth through eighth grade and $5,320 for high-school students.
The district lost 13,800 students last year, and projected another decline of 8,000 this year. According to the district, 10th-day figures were 205 below projections. The official 20th-day enrollment will be announced next week, but CPS expects a final count of about 380,000 students.
