COLUMBIANA — Low birth rates, homeschool, open enrollment and private school vouchers are continuing to affect enrollment at the Columbiana School District.

District Superintendent Dr. Don Mook provided the board of education this month with the latest enrollment figures compared to prior years.

According to his report, enrollment is currently at an all-time low of 880 total students.

This is the lowest enrollment has been since the 2012-2013 school year, which is the farthest back Mook’s report went, although he did have a separate snapshot of enrollment between the years of 1963-1973 as well, when enrollment was generally above 1,400 to 1,500 students.

During the 2012-13 school year total enrollment was at 1,018 students.

Total enrollment was always above 1,000 students from 2012 through the 2021-22 school year.

Enrollment dipped below 1,000 students in the 2022-23 school year and has steadily decreased since then.

Enrollment at the high school in particular has decreased the most.

Mook attributed the total decrease to the low birth rate, homeschooling, and private school vouchers and open enrollment.

“Birthrate is low in Columbiana school district. Most districts across the county are in the same position,” he said, noting that as the birth rate declines fewer students are entering kindergarten.

As for open enrollment, the district typically attracts about 100 more students than it loses, however.

But Mook said that homeschooling is at an all-time high.

“We generally have 10 students district-wide over the years,” he said of those opting to homeschool. “We have over 60 students a year now.”

He also said that vouchers to the private schools are difficult to track now.

“The state no longer has an accountability to show them in our counts. They were in our School Finance Payment Report forms until recent years,” he said.