(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. — Kenosha Unified School District enrollment fell by 770 students this school year, dropping from 17,799 students in September 2025 to 17,029 students in the district’s official Sept. 18, 2026 Third Friday count. The decline represents a loss of about 4.3% of KUSD’s student population in a single year.
The final number also came in significantly below what KUSD had anticipated. District officials projected enrollment of 17,417 students in February, meaning the actual count was 442 students below that estimate.
KUSD attributed the decline primarily to a long-term decrease in births within the district, more students leaving for non-KUSD educational programs and lower participation in early-grade offerings. District officials said births within KUSD’s boundaries have averaged about 500 fewer per year than the 2008 peak of 1,953 births.
Nearly Every School Category Lost Students
Elementary schools collectively lost 241 students, falling from 7,022 to 6,781. Middle schools lost another 177 students, dropping from 3,228 to 3,051, while high schools declined by 208 students, from 5,370 to 5,162. KUSD’s choice schools fell by 144 students, from 2,179 to 2,035.
Indian Trail High School & Academy saw the largest individual school decline, losing 146 students and falling from 1,837 students last year to 1,691 this year. LakeView K-8 Academy lost 77 students, Bullen Middle School lost 72 and Mahone Middle School lost 59. Roosevelt Elementary dropped by 53 students and Grewenow Elementary lost 50. Bradford High School declined by 46 students.
Only a handful of schools posted increases. Forest Park Elementary gained 15 students, Grant Elementary gained 14, Tremper High School gained eight and Bose Elementary gained two.
Sixth Grade Takes Biggest Hit
The largest grade-level decrease occurred in sixth grade, which fell by 193 students, from 1,338 last year to 1,145 this year. Third grade dropped by 127 students and 11th grade declined by 108. Kindergarten fell by 82 students.
Seventh grade was the notable exception, increasing by 52 students from 1,275 to 1,327. Fourth-grade enrollment remained unchanged at 1,232 students.
The district’s Sept. 18 count shows Indian Trail remains KUSD’s largest school with 1,691 students, followed by Bradford High School with 1,408 and Tremper High School with 1,381. Mahone is the largest middle school at 919 students.
Wisconsin school districts conduct the Third Friday enrollment count each September. The state uses those figures in determining school district revenue limits, which affect the amount districts may receive through general state aid and local property tax levies.
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2 Responses
It has been clear with overall decline in birthrates year over year for more than a decade now that they need more school closures. A high school should have already been closed, two is sufficient now and decline numbers show two will support for the extended future. Don’t ask for more money, make the necessary management decisions.
Why would they need more money for 700 less students???