Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - Preliminary numbers show the Sioux Falls School District has grown by just over 450 students from this time last year, according to figures released during Monday’s school board meeting. Board President Kent Alberty said the numbers are continuing to hold strong for the state’s largest district, at a time when other districts are seeing numbers fall sharply.
Numbers are especially impressive at the Kindergarten level, where the district may set a record for the largest class in history at 2,071 pupils. The school population for all grades is projected at 23,096. Both of those numbers considered preliminary based on first week head counts, the official numbers will be released in September.
Alberty says the continued growth will present several challenges for a new superintendent, who will have to deal with not only the growing population but changes in the demographics of the student body. Tonight’s meeting saw the board go into executive session to discuss the pending departure of current superintendent Pam Homan, who will be leaving next summer after 10 years on the job.