One of the main issues the Eden Prairie School Board is looking to focus on this year is tracking the enrollment in and out of Eden Prairie Schools. Part of that involves tracking who left the district in the past year, and why.

Enrollment was down in the district by 300 students, 150 of which were more than the district anticipated.

According to a report presented during the Jan. 10 School Board meeting, the district is going to be studying the enrollment pat-terns of the past few years. Families who have left are being surveyed regarding their reasons for using open enrollment, according to the report. In addition, the district has hired local consultant (and former state demographer) Hazel Reinhardt to do a study of the district including birth rates, preschool census, housing, school attendance, school choice options and a projection of the student population in the future.

“This is a good start, I like it,” said Board member Chuck Mueller, upon hearing the report during a meeting.

What he wanted to see were results of any direct contact with families who have left the district and those who have preschool children nearing school age.

“I’d like to understand what the district is doing right now in terms of direct contact outreach to families who have left and families who are now deciding whether to use Eden Prairie schools or some other option,” said Mueller.

Mueller said the idea of reaching out to those families that left is for them to come in and tell why they left.

“Opening the door for them to have a personal interaction … as opposed to doing something rather informal” like a survey, he said.

Interim superintendent Jon McBroom said a phone survey done in an objective manner is going to get better information than what would emerge from meetings.

“We can do both,” he added. “I think that’s a legitimate suggestion.”

– Compiled by Leah Shaffer