A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

A Back to School Special Report on the Baby Boom Echo: America's Schools Are Overcrowded and Wearing Out -- (September 8, 1998)

Table 1. -- Enrollment in prekindergarten/kindergarten, grades 1 to 5, 6 to 8, and 9 to 12 in public elementary and secondary schools: Fall 1983 to fall 2008

(Numbers in thousands)

Year Total enrollment Prekindergarten/ kindergarten Grades 1 to 5 Grades 6 to 8 Grades 9 to 12
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
1983 39,252 2,859 7.3 14,511 37.0 9,611 24.5 12,271 31.3
1984 39,208 3,010 7.7 14,638 37.3 9,257 23.6 12,304 31.4
1985 39,422 3,192 8.1 14,942 37.9 8,900 22.6 12,388 31.4
1986 39,753 3,310 8.3 15,347 38.6 8,764 22.0 12,333 31.0
1987 40,008 3,388 8.5 15,799 39.5 8,745 21.9 12,076 30.2
1988 40,189 3,433 8.5 16,187 40.3 8,882 22.1 11,687 29.1
1989 40,543 3,486 8.6 16,607 41.0 9,059 22.3 11,390 28.1
1990 41,217 3,610 8.8 16,919 41.0 9,350 22.7 11,338 27.5
1991 42,047 3,686 8.8 17,183 40.9 9,636 22.9 11,541 27.4
1992 42,823 3,817 8.9 17,344 40.5 9,927 23.2 11,735 27.4
1993 43,465 3,922 9.0 17,432 40.1 10,150 23.4 11,961 27.5
1994 44,111 4,047 9.2 17,582 39.9 10,269 23.3 12,213 27.7
1995 44,840 4,173 9.3 17,809 39.7 10,359 23.1 12,500 27.9
1996 45,592 4,208 9.1 18,050 39.7 10,501 23.0 12,834 28.2
Projected
1997 46,308 4,155 9.0 18,463 39.9 10,588 22.9 13,103 28.3
1998 46,792 4,084 8.7 18,760 40.1 10,678 22.8 13,270 28.4
1999 47,143 4,037 8.6 18,921 40.1 10,764 22.8 13,420 28.5
2000 47,439 4,016 8.5 18,982 40.0 10,905 23.0 13,537 28.5
2001 47,698 3,993 8.4 18,866 39.6 11,196 23.5 13,643 28.6
2002 47,924 3,976 8.3 18,693 39.0 11,455 23.9 13,800 28.8
2003 48,075 3,966 8.2 18,529 38.5 11,629 24.2 13,951 29.0
2004 48,221 3,962 8.2 18,422 38.2 11,574 24.0 14,263 29.6
2005 48,335 3,963 8.2 18,355 38.0 11,437 23.7 14,579 30.2
2006 48,368 3,968 8.2 18,307 37.8 11,309 23.4 14,785 30.6
2007 48,342 3,980 8.2 18,283 37.8 11,226 23.2 14,854 30.7
2008 48,201 3,997 8.3 18,287 37.9 11,171 23.2 14,746 30.6

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Projections of Education Statistics to 2008; and special tabulations.


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[ Figure 3. -- Change in number of students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools, by grade span: Fall 1998 to fall 2008 ] [ Table of Contents ] [ Figure 4. -- Percent change in public elementary and secondary enrollment, by state: Fall 1988 to fall 2008 ]

Last Updated -- September 7, 1998, (pjk)