Public school enrollment up 4 percent

Student enrollment in public schools for school year 2004-2005, which begins tomorrow, increased by nearly four percent compared to data recorded from the previous school year, according to the Public School System.

Amid the increase, the PSS proposed an increase in consolidated grants from the Department of Education, citing that $3.06 million would be used to reduce the class-size student-teacher ratio to 20-1 by hiring up to 65 high-quality classroom teachers for school year 2005-2006.

In its proposal the PSS indicated that large class sizes range from 25-30 students per teacher, which the PSS says results “in teachers having much less direct contact time with individual students.”

In meeting its goal of having 80 percent of students reading on or above grade level by 2008, the PSS found it vital that the class size reduction be implemented due to its ethnically diverse student population. “With this ethnically diverse student population, English is, in almost all instances, a second language.

The number of teachers for this school year has yet to be disclosed.

Data compiled by the PSS showed that a total of 10,973 students are enrolled in the 20 public schools in the Commonwealth, about 392 more than the number of students last year, which posted 10,581 students.

Making up majority of the number are students in the elementary level, which consists of 12 schools and comprises of 5,793 or 52.79 percent of the entire population.

Of the 12 schools, Garapan Elementary School holds the highest population with 857 enrollees, followed by San Vicente and Kagman elementary schools with 825 and 727 students.

Numbers for the remaining nine elementary schools are as follows: William S. Reyes Elementary School, 593; Oleai Elementary School, 481; Dandan Elementary School, 456; Koblerville Elementary School, 439; San Antonio Elementary School, 364; Tinian Elementary School, 320; Sinapalo Elementary School, 263; Tanapag Elementary School, 251; Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School, 217.

Meanwhile, a total of 3352 students are enrolled in public high schools, with Marianas High School consisting of 1,243 students; Kagman High School with 818; Saipan Southern High School with 775; Tinian Junior and High School 335; and Rota High School 181.

Also, 1,828 students are enrolled in the junior high school level, with 1,013 at Hopwood Junior High School; 650 at Chacha Oceanview Junior High School; and 165 at Rota Junior High School.

In addition to the total population, about 479 students are enrolled in the Head Start program.

The number of private school enrollees has yet to be disclosed. Last year, a total of 2,741 students were enrolled in private schools, with 1,914 in the elementary level and 827 in the junior high and high school level.