Growth Rates in Schools

by Anne Pucciarelli

Submitted : Fall 2013

Based on recent data, the number of students eligible to attend Hillsborough County public schools ages five through seventeen, is increasing. The projected number of students in 2020 was estimated based on the annual student increases between 2000 and 2010. The first step after locating the necessary data was to determine the annual rate of growth with the formula, P_f = P_o(1+i)ⁿ. Once the annual rate of growth of students was determined, it was applied it to the time frame 2010 to 2020 in order to estimate the Hillsborough County student population in 2020. It was concluded that student population, ages five to seventeen, will have increased by nearly 34,000 students in 2020. The projected increased student population has several implications including greater budget needs and a larger minimum number of necessary teachers to meet the class size amendment.

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