NEWS: Double Digit % Growth Expected for WJCC Public Schools Enrollment

All sixteen schools will gain students over next decade According to School Board Consultant

Dec 22, 2024

The WJCC Shool Board and the Williamsburg City Council were recently told by a consultant to expect double digit enrollment growth over the next ten years. (Image Credit: George Arbogust)

In a joint meeting held earlier this month between the Williamsburg-James City County School Board and the Williamsburg City Council, a long-time consultant for the school system presented their projections for student enrollment growth over the next decade.

According to the consultant, Tracy Healy, President of education facility planner Future Think, following a decade of mostly stagnant student enrollment, WJCC Public Schools can expect over 17% total growth in enrollment over the next ten years. Healy explains in the presentation that these projections rely on a complicated mix of factors including economic conditions, housing starts and live births. Still, the firm sees reason to anticipate more growth in the school system as the region’s overall population expands.

System-wide growth in student enrollment is expected over the next ten years according to a consultant’s report to WJCC Public Schools. (Data Credit: Future Think, WJCC Public Schools; Graphic Credit: George Arbogust)

By growing their school enrollment over the next decade, Healy expects Williamsburg and James City County to buck national and state trends. For example, the presentation indicates that only 10 states are expected to have a total increase in school enrollment over the next ten years; Virginia’s over-all school age population is expected to decline by 7%.

The enrollment of the system during the current school year is given as 11,379 in the presentation, which is expected to increase to 13,387 by 2034-2035 school year. Middle school enrollment will see the largest increase, adding 618 students for an increase of nearly 25 percent. K-5 (10.2%) and High School (13.9%) enrollment will also see double digit enrollment increases according to the school system’s consultant.

All sixteen schools in the WJCC Public Schools system are expected to see increases in enrollment, though growth will be more significant at some schools. (Data Credit: Future Think, WJCC Public Schools; Graphic Credit: George Arbogust)

Though Healy expects that each of the system’s 16 schools will see added enrollment, some will see dramatically greater increases. Not surprisingly, all four of the middle schools in the system will see the largest percentage increases, each over 20% increases in student enrollment.

(Update: 12-24-24 The title and subtitle were updated for clarity)

(Update: 1-6-24 The title was updated to clearly identify the piece as news.)

George Arbogust is Founder and Editor of the Williamsburg Independent. You can contribute too! Send stories and ideas to contact@williamsburgindependent.com.