HPS student enrollment is once again going down

Student enrollment continues to decline this school year, which could result in the loss of additional state revenue. File photo

By Charles Sercombe
The final head count in the public school district is in, and enrollment continues to decline.
Last fall, the district’s number of students from the fall count was 2,953, a drop from 3,062 in the 2022-23 school year, according to state figures.
In another head count recently conducted, the new total is now 2,907, representing a continuing loss, this time by 46 more students.
That means there will be less revenue coming in from the state. The state pays the district $9,600 per student. That amounts to $441,600, but the state has a complicated formula when it comes to student head counts.
There are two student counts per school year: once in the fall and then another midway through the school year. The first count represents 90 percent of the state funding, while the second count is only for 10 percent of what the state will give the district.
In other words, this loss of 46 students represents a possible loss of $44,160 for the district. However, that drop in revenue will be canceled if 46 or more students return next year.
The school district has stiff competition, with about a dozen charter schools operating in the area.
The Review reached out to HPS Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed, who has been on paid medical leave, and Board of Education President Jihan Aiyash for comment on why the district is losing students but neither responded.
Toni Coral, the president of the Hamtramck Federation of Teachers, said she doesn’t know why students are leaving the district, but she has advice for the administration.
“Perhaps leadership ought to reach out to the family who have left the district,” Coral told The Review.
One possible cause, besides competition from local charter schools, is that the district has not sponsored an aggressive enrollment campaign as it did in previous years prior to Ahmed being appointed as superintendent.
The only noticeable campaign has been through the district’s Facebook page.
The financial hit comes at a time when the district is also experiencing a number of teachers and staff hitting the exit doors. Some of them have said they have left because of what they say is a “toxic” work environment created by the district’s administration.
One board member, Salah Hadwan, has even encouraged staffmembers to leave the district, telling disgruntled employees:
“Nobody’s forcing you to stay here if you do not want to be here for this district and for the students.”
Also adding to district’s woes is Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed having taken a second paid medical leave of absence over a month ago. Ahmed took the leave soon after receiving a poor work evaluation, which meant, at that time, that she would not receive an $11,700 merit pay bonus, nor an automatic one-year contract extension.
Ahmed earns over $200,000 annually.
According to district sources, Ahmed is scheduled to return to her job sometime after the upcoming Eid celebration.
However, there is also speculation that she won’t be returning.
On top of everything else, there appears to be a division among some board of education members. Also, last year, the board failed to meet at least once in three separate months.
State law requires boards of education to meet at least once a month.
One more financial hit could be coming to the district. Its operating millage, which produces about $2.5 million a year, is up for voter renewal this year.
So far, voters have shot down other millage renewal requests proposed by the district, and chances for any other millage renewals looks doubtful.
Posted April 5, 2024