MCPS' demographic study by Dr. Larry Swanson - Population Age Demographics Study
The
following paragraphs are from the introduction to the demographic study
commissioned by the district with Dr. Larry Swanson.
"In spring 2009, Missoula County
Public Schools contracted with the
O'Conner Center for the Rocky Mountain West at the
University of Montana to prepare a Population Age
Demographics Study. The results of the study will help the District better
prepare for enrollment
fluctuations throughout the K-12 system.
The population
of Missoula County has grown steadily in recent years, rising from less than
80,000 residents in 1990 to more than 96,000 in 2000 - an increase of more than
22 percent. This growth data, combined with birth rates, census and other
community data, can be used to "project" student
enrollment as it swells and retreats in coming years.
Schools budgets in Montana are heavily based on the
number of students enrolled in
any given year. The more accurately the District can projects its enrollment,
the better it can budget to meet student and staff needs, and improve student
achievement.
A report and
various PowerPoint pages can be accessed at this time. Choose from the pdf links
below:"
Click
link below for the full Missoula County Public Schools demographic
report.
Missoula's Changing Neighborhoods
In the August 18, 2007 issue of the Missoulian an article reporting the resignation of MCPS Superintendent Clark, Clark states:
According to Dr. Swanson, however, who spoke at a MCPS meeting in 2004, it is preferable for central neighborhood schools to remain open/available and flexible as these neighborhoods are in transition. The following is a partial transcript of Dr. Swanson’s presentation:
“So the question becomes where are all these folks going to live, all these 20 and 30 year olds? They’re primarily going to live in homes that these folks (referring to retirees) steadily move out of. One of the things we don’t completely understand is that housing stock transitions. And so we look all around these neighborhoods and we’ve got 3 and 4 and 5 bedroom homes. As people move (this column to the right-[the retirees]) they’re less likely to stay in that home forever, particularly if alternatives are presented to them. So you’re going to see an explosion in multi-family, townhouses, apartments, etc. To the degree that Missoula does that well and there are good examples and bad examples, will determine how quickly these older folks either stay in those homes or move out to transition the housing stock."
"So all these folks (the 20 to 30 year olds) won’t move out to the edge of town. They will simply move back in as the housing stock transitions because its cheaper to buy existing square footage than it is to build square footage, if anybody’s been through that market before. It’s more expensive to build than it is to buy. So that’s one of the things we’ve got to consider in all this. So that’s going to happen.”
The above transcription illustrates that the central neighborhoods in our city are transitioning toward young families. Despite the sale ofRoosevelt School Missoula Mount Jumbo Prescott Jefferson and even Whittier Hellgate High School
Note: This document was created by Prescott School Missoula in approximately 2008, however, the information within it is more pertinent today than ever before. The need to open our closed schools is becoming more clear due to the change in our neighborhood demographics. (July 2012)
Warning: We must make sure that MCPS administrators and Trustees do not sell our neighborhood schools and build a new school!!
“At the same time, the location of those children is changing. For a school district that has many of its elementary school buildings concentrated in the center of town, that raises issues of building new schools closer to developing areas like Maloney Ranch.”
According to Dr. Swanson, however, who spoke at a MCPS meeting in 2004, it is preferable for central neighborhood schools to remain open/available and flexible as these neighborhoods are in transition. The following is a partial transcript of Dr. Swanson’s presentation:
“So the question becomes where are all these folks going to live, all these 20 and 30 year olds? They’re primarily going to live in homes that these folks (referring to retirees) steadily move out of. One of the things we don’t completely understand is that housing stock transitions. And so we look all around these neighborhoods and we’ve got 3 and 4 and 5 bedroom homes. As people move (this column to the right-[the retirees]) they’re less likely to stay in that home forever, particularly if alternatives are presented to them. So you’re going to see an explosion in multi-family, townhouses, apartments, etc. To the degree that Missoula does that well and there are good examples and bad examples, will determine how quickly these older folks either stay in those homes or move out to transition the housing stock."
"So all these folks (the 20 to 30 year olds) won’t move out to the edge of town. They will simply move back in as the housing stock transitions because its cheaper to buy existing square footage than it is to build square footage, if anybody’s been through that market before. It’s more expensive to build than it is to buy. So that’s one of the things we’ve got to consider in all this. So that’s going to happen.”
The above transcription illustrates that the central neighborhoods in our city are transitioning toward young families. Despite the sale of
Note: This document was created by Prescott School Missoula in approximately 2008, however, the information within it is more pertinent today than ever before. The need to open our closed schools is becoming more clear due to the change in our neighborhood demographics. (July 2012)
Warning: We must make sure that MCPS administrators and Trustees do not sell our neighborhood schools and build a new school!!
