Declining student enrollment in Virginia 1972-1981 : an examination of its extent, State Board of Education policies, and changes effected by selected school divisions

The purposes of the study were to determine: to what extent student enrollment has declined in the state and in local school divisions in Virginia during the decade 1972-1981; what policies, if any, have been enacted by the State Board of Education relative to declining enrollment; and what effect a severely declining enrollment may have had in the areas of formal curriculum, professional personnel, and school organizational patterns and utilization of buildings.;It was found that during the decade studied: (1) statewide enrollment declined overall by less than six percent; (2) 62 percent of the divisions experienced a net loss in enrollment; (3) nine divisions declined in enrollment for ten consecutive years; (4) eighteen divisions declined 20 percent and more; (5) eleven divisions declined by 25 percent and more.;No policies related to declining enrollment were enacted by the State Board of Education during the decade studied.;A questionnaire was sent to the superintendents of eleven divisions which had declined by 25 percent and more during the decade studied. Completed questionnaires were returned by ten divisions, or 91 percent. Changes related to declining enrollment were found to have been effected in the areas of formal curriculum, professional personnel, and school organizational patterns and utilization of buildings. While the respondents did not cite declining enrollment as the sole cause of the changes effected, 73 percent of the changes were reported to have been partially or substantially the result of declining enrollment. The eleven divisions studied included large cities, small cities, suburban, and rural areas within Virginia, and were geographically dispersed. Ninety percent of the responding divisions reported layoffs, involuntary transfers between schools, and establishment of new attendance zones. One hundred percent of the respondents cited seniority as either the only criterion or one of several criteria considered in their divisional reduction-in-force policy. None of the responding divisions were reported to have a School Board policy on the use of surplus space