Enrollment up at Fayette County schools

There are dozens more students filling Fayette County classrooms as the new school year begins.

Superintendent Joseph Barrow Jr. told the Board of Education on Aug. 27 that there are now 20,261 students enrolled, an increase of 217 from this time last year. That total includes 8,391 at the elementary schools, 4,768 in middle schools and 7,102 in high schools. Barrow suggested the increase could be related to new academic programs being implemented, including film and theater courses at all five high schools and a World Language pilot program at two elementary schools.

The school system is providing each student in grades 2-12 with a Chromebook laptop computer, and has renovated several schools to increase capacity.