ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, September 14, 1996           TAG: 9609160097
SECTION: CURRENT                  PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT COUNTS

Pulaski County, Radford and Montgomery County school systems experienced enrollment shifts compared with the beginning of school last year, but not in the same direction.

Pulaski and Radford maintained about the same enrollment totals, but the increase shifted from high schools to elementary schools. Both school systems are beginning renovating or building classrooms to alleviate the overcrowded elementary schools.

Montgomery County also plans a school building program to help ease overcrowding in all the schools. Enrollment increased by 252 students - or 3 percent - this year, with middle and high schools bearing most of the brunt. That reflects a nationwide trend as children of the 76 million baby boomers - who were born between the end of World War II and 1964 - begin high school.

1996 1995

Montgomery Co.

elementary 4,319 4,337

middle/high 4,806 4,536

total 9,125 8,873

Pulaski Co.

elementary 2,436 2,419

middle 1,159 1,170

high 1,569 1,582

total 5,164 5,171

Radford City

elementary 877 863

middle 227 206

high 401 435

total 1,505 1,504

LENGTH: Short :   44 lines
ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC:  Chart by staff. color.