The St. Joseph School District is seeing a drop in total students this year for the first time in several years.

In a news release Tuesday the district announced enrollment is down by 166 students for the 2015-16 school year.  Total students enrolled as of Aug. 25 was 11,370.

There are 87 fewer students at the high school level, with a total attendance of 3,238.  Benton reported 776 students, Lafayette 779.  Central was the only high school that saw an increase in students up 14 from last year to 1,683.

Middle school enrollment was up 31 from a year ago to 1,707.  Bode Middle School saw the largest enrollment at 518 students.

Alternative school enrollment is 127, that’s down 16.

It said the average class size in the elementary grades is 21.27.

Classes started Aug. 17.  The district said the seventh day enrollment number is used, essentially, to fine-tune staffing levels in the schools.  The decision regarding teacher moves and additional para-professionals is based according to the district on Missouri School Improvement Program guidelines.  Those are:

K-2: 25 students

3-4: 27 students

5-6: 30 students.

In order to qualify for an over-sized classroom para-professional the district said the class average must be over those guidelines.

This was the first year the St. Joseph School District has seen a decrease in student population in several years.

Last year the district had six additional students than 2013 for a total of 11,536.  In 2012 it was 11,473.