MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — It is a new school year, and some districts have already seen some surprising classroom shifts.

Murfreesboro City Schools has hundreds fewer students than the previous school year, and the biggest drops have shown up in kindergarten and sixth grade.

"From Period Nine of last school year, we're down 360 students," Assistant Superintendent Ken Rocha said. "I think that's something that stands out."

"It's really kind of isolated in certain pockets where we have really robust sixth grades in certain buildings, and then pretty small ones in other buildings," MCS Director Dr. Trey Duke explained.

According to Rocha, Northfield Elementary is down by 62 students. Black Fox Elementary lost 39 students. Cason Lane Academy and Reeves-Rogers Elementary each lost 34 students. Scales Elementary is down by 21 students.

Leaders said they don't know what prompted the sudden drop, but they've been working to learn more.

"The principals are talking with the attendance secretaries. Teachers are involved as well, and we are calling every single family," Rocha said.

Duke said during an MCS board meeting that several possible factors exist.

"I'm not concerned right now. I'll be honest," Duke said. "We have a brand new elementary school opening that took students from our district. We knew that would happen. We have a charter school that's on its second year. We have the vouchers that have been implemented this year, so there are a lot of pieces at play."

It is not just MCS that's seen the drop. Early numbers showed that enrollment in Rutherford County Schools are off by 2%. Bedford County Schools has also seen a decline of about 200 students, the majority of whom are in high school.

By contrast, enrollment in neighboring counties like Williamson, Wilson, Montgomery, and Davidson has appeared steady or growing.

With 40 days until the official enrollment count, leaders said they're watching to see if the numbers stick or if it's just a blip.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/mcs-2025-2026-enrollment-drop-days-into-new-school-year/