MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – Breaking records with a 155-year historical stride, Marion County Public Schools (MCPS) has reached an enrollment peak per the December 2023 count. Welcoming 45,651 students, MCPS has nearly hit the projected figure of 45,687, marking the district’s highest enrollment to date.
This decade alone, MCPS has seen a growth spurt of close to 9% with elementary schools now serving 21,586 young scholars, while middle and high schools contribute to the education of 9,917 and 13,032 students each. Not forgetting, 1,116 students are engaged in specialized learning centers and alternative programs.
To accommodate this surge, MCPS is taking steps by initiating the construction of three new schools in southwest Marion County. This expansion includes two state-of-the-art elementary schools to open in August 2026 and a high school projected to open its doors in August 2027. The last new school to open in the Marion County system was about a decade ago in 2013.
Here is a breakdown on the steady climb of MCPS’s enrollment over the past several years:
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- 2023-2024: 45,651 students
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- 2022-2023: 44,488 students
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- 2021-2020: 41,279 students
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- 2018-2019: 42,925 students
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- 2013-2014: 41,950 students