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<br />City Council Study Session - 09/20/04 <br />Minutes - Page 5 <br /> <br />declines in enrollment approximately twenty (20) years ago, <br />during the 1970's, with enrollment declining from 13,000 <br />students to the approximately 6,300 students currently served. <br /> <br />Dr. Thein further addressed the changing face of Roseville <br />Schools, including those discussed earlier: the lower birth rates, <br />and elementary enrollment declines; but noted that the District <br />had to close their open enrollment, and put those last 25 <br />applicants on a waiting list, with the high school and continuing <br />to grow and class sizes being maintained at this time. Dr. Thein <br />noted that currently, student enrollment is 85 students above that <br />projected, but anticipated there will be a slight shift when <br />October 1 figures became available. <br /> <br />Dr. Thein, however, further noted that while the School Board is <br />pleased with current enrollment, they were continuing to focus <br />on options and other opportunities. Dr. Thein reviewed areas of <br />cooperation and competition with Charter, non-public schools, <br />home schooling and other open enrollment schools, and noted <br />trends that were being observed. <br /> <br />Dr. Thein addressed minority student population demographics <br />(i.e., lout of 4 students is a minority or student of color), with <br />Asian American, African American, Hispanic (with 38% growth <br />during the last school year), and the first Hmong family enrolled <br />in the District from the most recent refugee group. Dr. Thein <br />recognized the unique diversity, yet recognized the <br />programming, educational and cultural challenged presented to <br />the District and its staff. Dr. Thein noted that student enrollment <br />from non-English speaking (English not the primary language of <br />home) had increased by 40)% over previous years, with <br />approximately 800 students representing those non-English <br />speaking homes, adding to the stresses on the resource pool. Dr. <br />Thein noted that there were forty-seven (47) different countries <br />represented in the District, with the largest representations from <br />the Hmong, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese communities. <br /> <br />Dr. Thein and the School Board were cognizant of the projected <br />continuing declining enrollment, and were seeking ways to <br />address that decline through entrepreneurial avenues, by offering <br />families more, and through cooperative ventures. Dr. Thein <br />