ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS OFF TARGET DISTRICT POPULATION DOWN.

Byline: Angie Valencia Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY - Enrollment in Simi Valley schools has dipped by more than 100 students from last year - a trend that could cost the local district about a half million dollars in state funds.

District officials had estimated an increase of 190 students for the 2004-05 school year. Instead, the district had 146 fewer students than last year's 21,079 students - not counting special-education students.

``Enrollment has flat-lined,'' said school board President Steven Gould. ``We think some may be going to private schools or are being home-schooled, but we are losing population. It's continuing to change.''

The school district receives about $4,000 per student in state funding, which totals about 76 percent of overall revenue.

``All of our funding is based on enrollment,'' said Lowell Schultze, assistant superintendent of business services. ``We will have to make that up in the budget.''

School officials say the elementary schools are being hit the hardest, where there are nearly 300 fewer students.

``The question is: Where are the kids?'' said Arleigh Kidd, president of the Simi Valley Educators Association. ``In Conejo Valley, they're growing. Hopefully, there is a one-year fluctuation.''

Jeff Baarstad, Conejo Valley Unified School District assistant superintendent of business services, said that district has been growing about 1 percent per year. As of Sept. 15, the district logged in 22,549 students, up from 22,314 students at the same time last year.

One assumption is that more families are moving out of Simi Valley. Others say the district did a poor job estimating the number of incoming students the new housing developments would generate.

Last year, the district budgeted for 1.5 percent to 2 percent student growth. This year, officials were a bit more conservative when they projected a 0.9 percent growth from development projects across town.

Schultze said, ``We'll continue to investigate what's going on. We're making phone calls to see why students are not there.''

The district will report its enrollment in December, officials said. District officials plan to unveil a program to boost daily attendance by 2 percentage points, to 97 percent. One idea at the high schools is to raffle a new car in partnership with local automotive dealers.

``The stakes are too high,'' Kidd said. ``Kids can no longer afford not to be in class.''

Still, school board members received some good financial news this past week.

The district was able to increase revenue and expenditures by nearly $1 million. The revised operating budget for the fiscal year is now $136 million.

Angie Valencia, [phone]

angie.valencia(at)dailynews.com