Enrollment Up In Prince George's County Schools

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) -- Prince George's County schools are seeing an enrollment bump, reversing declines over the last decade.

The Washington Post reports that nearly 2,000 more students attended county schools this year than last. The county's schools lost an average of 1,000 students annually during the past 10 years.

County officials say the enrollment bump is a sign that the system is moving in the right direction and funding increases that accompany the bump will help continue that momentum.

One of the central goals of County Executive Rushern Baker's school takeover effort is bringing middle-class families back to public schools. But officials say about 65 percent of new students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, a federal poverty measure. That's similar to the overall percentage of students from poor families.

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