Hispanic student numbers still falling

decaturdaily.com
By Bayne Hughes
10/18/11

Hispanic student enrollment continues to drop in Decatur, (AL) while other school systems are reporting no change.

Chip Miller, attendance supervisor for Decatur City Schools, said his system has lost 52 Hispanic students since Sept. 30, the day after the state's new illegal-immigration law went into effect. The school system's Hispanic enrollment now is at 1,498.

Debbie Owens, attendance officer for Limestone County Schools, said the decline has not continued after initially losing 26 in the days following the decision.

Chris Blevins, career-tech director for Morgan County Schools who also oversees attendance, said Hispanic enrollment has not changed in his schools.

"We lost three or four, but then we had some to move in, so it was a wash," Blevins said.

Decatur lost 25 students in the first four school days following the court decision. The city has lost another 27 in the last eight school days.

Stefanie Underwood, special education supervisor for Decatur, oversees English language education.

She said she wasn't aware the Hispanic numbers had continued to drop.

Underwood said it's possible some aren't aware of Friday's court decision that stopped the schools from asking about the legal status of students' parents.

She is planning to send out a letter this week on the issue.

http://www.decaturdaily.com/stories/His ... ling,86516