A Comprehensive Enrollment Analysis has been presented to the Ridgefield Board of Education.  Milone & MacBroom determined that the healthy economy, low unemployment rate and the housing market are the key drivers influencing school enrollment numbers. Home sales, not birth rate, yielded new students enrolled this year.

The report shows a number of students also matriculated out of the district.  Based on demographic analysis, births have reached their cyclical low and are expected to rise. 

The overall trend in middle school enrollment in Ridgefield indicates the reduction of an 8th grade teaching team at East Ridge Middle School in 2019-20 school year.  Middle school enrollment is projected to decline over 6% in the next decade as smaller elementary school classes matriculate into the middle schools. Scotts Ridge Middle School is projected to have larger enrollment than East Ridge Middle School by 2022-23.

High School enrollment is projected to decrease substantially over the next decade as smaller classes continue to matriculate up.  Staffing at the high school is dependent of student course requests and fulfillment of course offerings and requirements. Beginning in 2020 and beyond, budgetary/staffing decisions could be influenced by the current trend as the wave of declining enrollment approaches high school grade levels.  

Kindergarten classes have been larger than expected due to increasing in-migration of families with young children. 

Overall, the district will continue to see a decline in student population, until 2021-22.