District staff presented November 1 enrollment figures and five‑year projections during the Nov. 10 school board meeting, explaining how the district uses November 1 counts alongside Average Daily Membership for budget and staffing planning.

Staff reported the district’s November 1 enrollment as presented on slides (7,360 students). The presentation walked trustees through grade‑band trends: K–4 showed a slight uptick, 5–8 remained relatively stable, and 9–12 declined modestly. Presenters cautioned that enrollment fluctuates during the school year and that 'opening enrollment' may rise or fall while the district experiences mid‑year in‑ and out‑movement.

The board asked about the new district online academy and whether students were coming from within Moorhead or other districts. Staff said the online academy is newly supported directly by the district this year and that many students previously enrolled in other online programs are now fully enrolled in Moorhead’s online academy (enrollment rose from the high‑20s to 61 in the period discussed).

Trustees also discussed open‑enrollment patterns and boundaries: staff explained that as an Achievement and Integration (A&I) district Moorhead is required to allow open enrollment in many instances, but the board may close specific grade sections when capacity demands warrant it. Staff identified Dilworth‑adjacent neighborhoods as a common origin of outward open enrollment.

Next steps: staff will provide more detailed breakdowns (including net in/out open enrollment counts) on request to inform staffing and budget planning for the coming school year.