Hanover Schools requests reduction in preschool enrollment after Head Start student increase

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Hanover County Public Schools is requesting a reduction in preschool enrollment based on an increase of students in its Head Start program.

According to a May 13 agenda document, Hanover County Public Schools is requesting a reduction of preschool enrollment from 105 students to 87.

Hanover County claims this reduction application will assist the county in providing the necessary services and support to children, families, staff and the community.

The reduction request comes after Hanover County said, "We are seeing an increase in students receiving special education services, English Language Learner (ELL) students, students with intensive medical needs, and a rise in students exhibiting significant behavioral challenges. These factors are creating more complex classroom environments."

According to data shown in the Head Start Enrollment Reduction Application, IEP student enrollment doubled from the 2022-23 and the 2023-24 school year, from 11 to 24 students. While ELL student enrollment saw a slight decrease, but peaked again in 2022-23 with 31 students enrolled.

Enrollment of students with intensive medical needs, such as feeding tubes or tracheostomy, has doubled from the 2023-24 school year to the 2024-25 school year, from two to four students. Students exhibiting significant behavioral challenges requiring intensive support remained steady with seven students enrolled from the 2022-2024 school year.

However, this number increased to 13 students during the 2023-24 school year and again during the 2024-25 school year, with 18.

In a document, the county states:

Additionally, having more than one child in a class that requires more than a couple of hours of behavior support multiple days a week for months has a high impact on everyone in a classroom. Staff have a difficult time feeling valued and working through emotional exhaustion, families hear about what their children see and hear, and children do not receive the full focus of the staff. This influences the developmental growth of peers and takes away from the support available to students who still need more than what is provided with tier one instruction. With a decrease in numbers per class, Family Mental Health Specialists will have more time to meet with teachers and families to help them feel empowered and supported. It will improve the outcomes of students because everyone will have more opportunities to receive support with regulation and social skill development. Hanover County Head Start Enrollment Reduction Application 

The county goes on to say that the expected outcome with the enrollment decrease will hopefully increase staff retention, stronger family connections, an increase in students' overall kindergarten readiness and improved supervision, as well as classroom management in each Head Start classroom.

As of the time of reporting, all 34 of their returning students will have a spot in the Head Start Program for the 2025-26 school year -- with the enrollment reduction, it would leave about 53 spots to be filled with new enrollees.

Although it is looking to decrease enrollment in Head Start classrooms, Hanover is looking to maintain their current funding of $1,222,114, which will "support a more intensive teaching environment that meets the diverse needs of our students."

According to Hanover Schools, no student currently enrolled will be displaced, with the hope that the change is approved with the new 2025-26 school year.

The reduction would be three students per class, which would reduce the staff-to-student ratio, allowing for more one-on-one time and increasing supervision efforts in classrooms.

Currently, the program is involved in full-time enrollment (FET) at 98% to 100%, and although they're meeting enrollment percentages, Hanover Schools says that their waitlist is limited.

"This reduction in enrollment will allow less anxiety about meeting enrollment percentages and really making sure the families and students in most need are receiving these Head Start spots," according to the Head Start document.

The county says it has enrolled more ELL students, students with intensive medical needs and have experienced a rise in students that exhibit significant behavioral and emotional challenges, in part due to the pandemic.

"We began seeing these spikes heavily following the pandemic, the time when our current preschoolers were born or were infants/young toddlers," according to Hanover County Head Start.

According to the county, Head Start's employee turnover rate since the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020-21 has been as follows:

• 10 classroom teachers
• Two teacher assistants
• Two behavioral specialists
• Two financial specialists
• Three family services staff

The program hopes that the reduction will improve student outcomes with more focused remediation, small group discussions and personalized instructional strategies designed to accelerate learning and promote growth.

When will this go into effect?

"Hanover County is applying to reduce its funded enrollment from 105 to 87 children for the new 2025-2026 school year beginning on August 18th, 2025," according to the document.

The service start date would be Aug. 18 instead of Nov. 1, which is their budget implementation date.

According to the document, Hanover County seeks to reassure the community that this does not mean the elimination of the current Head Start program for the new 2025-2026 school year or budget cuts.

"This Enrollment Reduction will have no impact on Hanover Head Start’s current budget. While we are reducing student slots from 105 to 87, we will still be servicing the same number of classrooms, sites, and staff. Preschool programs, schedules, structures, and routines will not change," according to the agenda document.

The full Head Start Enrollment Reduction Application can be found below: