Enrollment at Columbia Falls High School is down sharply since the beginning of the year and compared to last year at the same time.

School enrollment in early February was 614 students, down 52 from the same time last year. At the beginning of the school year officials said enrollment was 700 at the high school.

School officials said at last week’s board meeting that the bulk of students had opted for home schooling, while others were attending other school districts.  In a follow up interview Monday, school Superintendent Cory Dziowgo said they haven’t broken down the numbers entirely and that there isn’t an exit interview when families decide to leave.

The loss in students wasn’t in a particular class, he said. It was across all four grades.

Enrollment across the district is generally down since 2023, when the district peaked at 2,247 students. This year total enrollment in February is 2,080, a loss of 167 students.

In the elementary schools, Ruder Elementary is down 34 over last year, but Glacier Gateway is up 33 over last year, but because it started a pre-K program.

The junior high was basically flat from last year, at 525 students as opposed to 527 last year.

Enrollment is important because it impacts state funding. Fortunately, the state has program where schools are allowed to average enrollment over three years, which lessens the blow of the loss of funding per student, what the state calls “average number belonging.”

With changes in state funding implemented last year, funding will actually go up  a bit for the high school, about $19,7882 and will rise 1.21% at the elementary level, or about $153,000 in fiscal year 2027 according to estimates by clerk Dustin Zuffelato.

As such, the board voted against floating either an elementary or high school levy this spring, as it can make up deficits through cost cutting measures and through retirements of longtime staffers.

As far as the dip in enrollment, Dziowgo said the school is beginning to investigate ways to address the matter, but it’s too early to talk about them publicly.