District 34 expecting decrease in students during next five years

District 34 student enrollment projections

Updated: March 8, 2013 6:55AM

GLENVIEW — Only twice since 1985 has student enrollment decreased at Glenview’s School District 34.

“And one of those years it was only by one student,” said Brett Clark, district director of communications and strategic planning.

An enrollment projections report, however, foresees a 7.9 percent drop of 382 students until the 2017-18 school year.

The consultant, DeJong Richter, considered enrollment trends, live birth data, census data and building permits.

“These projections indicate that enrollment has reached a plateau and will begin to decline at an average of 1.6 percent over the next five years.

Clark said the decline was not dramatic.

“I think we’ll be able to plan and prepare for the decrease. It’s important to remember these are projections. The farther out you get in years, the less confidence you have in the numbers,” Clark said.

In April 2012 the school board voted to cut $1.8 million for the 2012-13 school year, with the goal of reducing an $11 million deficit by 2016.

The plan would still leave a cumulative $4.1 million of deficit by 2017, with a $21 million fund balance.

Clark said the anticipated student enrollment decline would affect the district’s finances.

“Most of our income comes from property tax and some state aid, but not a significant sum. The enrollment drop is not a major impact financially,” he explained.

He also said less students could mean staffing cuts.

“If enrollment fell by 20 kids, but we’re still within the classroom range, there may not be a need for staffing change.

“It really is dependant on the number of kids at what grade level.”

Clark said several mixed-use development projects also could change the student population in District 34.

For instance, on Jan. 22 Glenview trustees proposed forming a proposed Tax Increment Financing district to build a mixed-use development at the former 21-acre Avon Products complex.

The TIF is set to expire in 2021 or 2023 and would impact the village of Glenview, school districts 34 and 219, Niles Township and Glenview Park District.

The apartment building would offer 238 units with parking spaces located within the complex just south of Overlook Drive.

The village also estimated 16 students living in the apartments in the new development would attend Glenview School District 34, with six students going to Niles Township School District 219.

Early this year Glenview officials are expected to sell 41 acres of vacant land — known as Parcel 24 — for development west of Shermer Road and north of West Lake Avenue.

The enrollment report estimated Parcel 24 would bring 93 more students to District 34 by 2017-18.

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