These stats are from Oct 1, will be interesting if those numbers changed much after 1804 went into effect Nov 1

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma public schools had a record enrollment of 641,721 as of Oct. 1, including an increase in Hispanic students, a report showed Thursday.


The report from the state Department of Education showed Oklahoma's 2007-2008 public school population is 10 percent Hispanic, compared to 4.5 percent 10 years ago.

According to the official pre-kindergarten through 12th grade enrollment numbers, the number of Hispanic students increased by 3,590 students over last year.

All other minority student groups increased slightly, while the "white/non-Hispanic" group was down 4,802 students.

The new federally mandated "multiracial" student group includes 2,726 Oklahoma students.

Oklahoma's total fall enrollment for the current school year showed a gain of 2,707 students and was 18,040 more than in 1997 or 62,554 more than in 1990, when implementation of the state's landmark Education Reform and Funding Act began.

"Significant shifts in Oklahoma's student demographics continue and we are clearly headed toward a majority-minority school population in the near future," said Sandy Garrett, state school superintendent.

"Administrators and teachers are challenged by language barriers and poverty in meeting the needs of the changing student population," Garrett said.

During the last decade, the percentage of white students in the state's public schools has decreased from just over 68 percent to 57.6 percent this school year. In 1990, white students were 74.2 percent of all students in Oklahoma.

The decline in the percentage of white students represents a decrease in numbers of 54,742 since 1997 or 60,021 since 1990.

http://newsok.com/article/3188548/1199411942