Burbank Unified shows bump in enrollment
Students make their way to their classes on the first day of school at John Muir Middle School in Burbank, in this file photo taken on Monday, Aug. 17, 2015.
More students attend Burbank schools this school year than last year, including those who don’t live in the city, according to recent data.
There are 15,256 students enrolled in local schools this year, a jump of 115 students compared to the year prior, according to statistics that officials discussed during a school board meeting on Thursday.
About 8% of Burbank Unified’s total enrollment —1,191 students — do not reside within Burbank Unified’s boundaries but obtained a permit to attend local schools. That’s 209 more students this year compared to last.
“We had to increase the number of permits to stabilize and increase our enrollment this year,” said Burbank Unified Supt. Matt Hill, adding that this year’s figures represent the first increase in students the district has seen in three years.
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He credited the enrollment hike to Burbank Unified’s “outstanding reputation,” courses geared toward preparing students for careers right out of high school and its streamlined permit process that more easily allows parents who live outside of the district to secure a spot for their child in a Burbank school.
Meanwhile, there are 68 students who currently live in Burbank but attend schools elsewhere, and 40 are enrolled in Glendale schools for dual-language immersion programs, said Brian O’Rourke, director of student and safety services for Burbank Unified.
The uptick in students occurred across all grade levels. There are 26 more students in transitional kindergarten through fifth grade, 13 more students in sixth through eighth grades and 60 more students in local high schools.
Larry Applebaum, school board president, said the rise was a testament to the education offered locally, and he praised efforts by the district staff to maintain stable enrollment numbers that benefit both students and employees because the more students that Burbank Unified serves, the more funds it receives from the state.
“Keeping this enrollment up is critically important to our budget,” said board member Steve Ferguson.
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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
