BEND, OR -- Bend-La Pine Schools enrollment rose by 341, this year, to a total of 18,375 students. In the past five years, the district’s enrollment has increased dramatically - up 1,775 students since 2012. It’s the fifth largest district in the state.
Superintendent Shay Mikalson says the growth brings opportunities and logistical challenges. "Thanks to the support of local voters, who overwhelmingly approved the construction bond last spring, we are in the planning stages to build a new elementary and new large high school in Bend to accommodate the influx of students," he said in a statement.
Experts at Portland State University's Center for Population Research estimate Bend-La Pine’s student population will reach 19,600 by the year 2021.
