According to 10-day enrollment figures last week, Polk County Schools had a total of 2,605 students, including pre-kindergarten students, compared to 2,622 at the same time last year.

Polk County Schools Supt. Bill Miller says the decrease is the result of the new age requirement and most probably next year&squo;s enrollment numbers will be slightly increased because the students who had to wait this year will begin next year.

Polk County Schools has a total of 191 in the first grade this year compared to just 147 enrolled in kindergarten.

The new age requirement, which was passed by N.C. Legislation in its 2007 session, but wasn&squo;t made effective until the 2009-2010 school year has created slight decreases in every Polk elementary school except Polk Central. Last year Polk Central had 454 students enrolled in the first 10 days and this year the school has 457. Polk Central was up last year from the year before by 13 students.

Tryon Elementary saw the largest decrease this year with a total of 463 students compared to last year&squo;s 484 students.

The only other increase in enrollment this year came at the high school, which is up five students over last year at the same time.

Polk Schools Virtual Early College has continued to grow, with a total of 42 enrolled this year compared to 32 last year. Last year&squo;s number was up by 12 students from the previous year. The Virtual Early College gives students a chance to earn up to two years of college credit at no cost by the time they graduate from high school and was started in the 2007 school year.