Marion Independent school enrollment continues to grow

MARION - Enrollment in the Marion Independent School District is continuing to grow, according to preliminary fall counts reported at this week's school board meeting.

Business Manager John Donner reported the district is currently serving 2,108 students, compared to 2,072 last fall and 1,991 in 2013. The district adds resident students to those open enrolled or tuitioned in to track total students served.

This fall's total is 36 more than last fall and 117 more than 2013. The fall 2013 total was a nine-student decrease from 2012.

The district also reported a 74-student increase this fall in its home school assistance program, jumping from 846 to 920 students.

Also at Monday's meeting, board members voted unanimously to continue participating in the state's Instructional Support Program for an additional five years beginning July 1, 2016. The vote followed a public hearing, which drew no comments.

The program provides supplemental funding for the district's general fund. It includes state aid, property tax and/or income surtax components. The amount of each component is determined annually during the budgetary process.