160
THE COUNTY’S INFRASTRUCTURE BACKBONE
PLANNING ISSUE
For most school districts, the
era of consistent high
enrollment growth is over. In
some places, schools may
close, while in others there
may be a need for modest
school additions or
redistricting.
Sewage Facilities
Water Facilities
Solid Waste
Stormwater Management
Energy
Communications
Schools
Child Day Care
Emergency Services
Other Governmental Facilities
Schools
Montgomery County has an excellent educational system
that includes universities, colleges, public schools, and
private schools. This system is known throughout the region
and state as providing a strong education to its students. In
2012, the system consisted of:
•
Twenty-two active school districts serving 111,344
students. (Five of the school districts include areas
outside of Montgomery County. Although Bryn Athyn
is the twenty-third school district, it has no facilities.)
•
A large variety of private schools accounting for
approximately 18% of all students. (This ratio has been
declining; it was approximately 26% in 1990 and 21%
in 2000.)
•
Twenty-two colleges or universities with over 40,000
students. (These range from national liberal arts
colleges like Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Ursinus to
private for-profit schools, from small theological
schools to the Montgomery County Community College
with approximately 14,000 students on two campuses.)
After rapid increases, some school districts have experienced
recent declines in enrollment, particularly districts where
high population growth rates have slowed down. For
example, the North Penn District’s enrollment declined by
about 900 students from 2000-2001 to 2011-2012 and is
projected to continue declining over the next decade.
Other school districts in older areas, such as Upper Merion,
have grown and are projected to continue growing. Some of
this is due to new families moving into older housing,
particularly as older generations move out. The Valley
Forge Towers, for example, is seeing many people moving
to the Shannondale retirement community being replaced by
young immigrant families.
What’s New
The past decade was a busy time for the county’s schools
and colleges as many of them rehabilitated, replaced,
expanded, and upgraded their school buildings.
•
Lower Merion built two new high schools; Souderton
moved its high school; Upper Dublin built a new high
school; Perkiomen Valley built a middle school;
Spring-Ford built grade centers for the middle years;
and a number of districts added, replaced, or expanded
elementary schools in addition to improvements at
their middle and high schools.
•
A number of private schools, such as Haverford,
Germantown Academy, and the Shipley School added
new buildings. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia
closed and consolidated many elementary schools
while also combining the Kennedy-Kenrick and St.
Pious X High Schools into the new Pope John Paul II
High School.
•
Temple University moved its art program from
Cheltenham to its main campus while Eastern
University moved its Palmer Seminary from Lower
Merion to Radnor. Episcopal Academy moved out
of Lower Merion and sold its property to St.
Joseph’s University.
•
A few school districts are considering closing an
elementary school, including the Souderton,
Perkiomen Valley, and Wissahickon districts.
YEAR
ENROLLMENT
2000 - 2001
106,295
2011 - 2012
111,344
2020 - 2021
112,814
FIGURE 121:
Public School Enrollment
Source: PA Department of Education
