Madison School District enrollment has declined by 500 students since last year, according to the Wisconsin State Journal, continuing a yearslong trend stemming from lower birth rates and increasing numbers of students opting to enroll elsewhere. Administrators also attributed the decrease to fewer students’ summer school participation in light of limited classroom space while many schools are under construction.
Madison School Board data shows about 25,000 full-time students are currently enrolled across the district. Enrollment is one factor used to calculate a district’s revenue limit, a per-pupil amount determining how much general state aid and property taxes can be collected by a district. While this limit was increased by $325 per student in the 2023–25 biennial budget, declining enrollment is still likely to have an impact.
Data presented to the school board in December 2022 showed the trend of decreasing enrollment is expected to continue for at least five more years.
