SJSD’s declining enrollment reflects long-term county trend 

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV)– The St. Joseph School District’s official enrollment for the 2026-27 school year is down from last year.

The official count date for school enrollment is the last Wednesday of September.

Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations Robert Hedgecorth said the drop has been a trend for nearly 25 years, and he explained some of the reasons behind it.

“Our county has declining birth rates, and so as you have newer classes coming in — or newer cohort groups coming into kindergarten classes — that are lower than previous years, which continues to bring a trend,” Hedgecorth said.

Hedgecorth also pointed out that students have different educational goals. Some may choose to graduate early, while others may decide to homeschool or attend a private school. Those choices can also contribute to declining enrollment.

KQ2 will update this story with a total breakdown of the enrollment numbers.

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