FROM THE NC DEPT of ADMINISTRATION
The N.C. Division of Non-Public Education today released its 2010-11 conventional non-public school statistics, which includes only students enrolled in private K-12 schools. Home School statistics for 2010-11 will be available on Aug. 1.

The total number of private K-12 schools statewide for the 2010-11 school year totaled 693. Only 12 counties in the state did not have a conventional non-public school operating within them. Approximately 69.1 percent of the 2010-11 schools were religious schools, collectively enrolling about 70.4 percent of the conventional non-public school students.

The total private K-12 school statewide enrollment dropped again during the 2010-11 year to 96,229. In 2009-10, enrollment was 96,421 after reaching a new all-time record of 98,545 students in 2008-09.

Grade levels with largest enrollments were Kindergarten, with 8,993, followed by grade 6, enrolling 8,021 students. Counties with the highest overall enrollments include Mecklenburg with 19,007 students; Wake with 16,084 students, and Guilford with 6,844 students. Wake and Mecklenburg counties experienced a slight increase in enrollment over 2009-10, while Guilford experienced a decrease. Male students continue to slightly outnumber females, accounting for about 50.2 of the conventional non-public school statewide enrollment.

For more detailed statistical information, visit the N.C. Division of Non-Public Education website at www.ncdnpe.org. Click on Conventional Non-Public Schools and then on Private Grade K-12 School Statistics. State of North Carolina non-public school statistics are available back to the 1961-62 school year.

Even though non-public schools pre-date North Carolina’s public school system, a state government agency dealing with the state’s non-public schools was not established until 1961. The state’s oldest continuously operating non-public school dates back to 1772Read the full article