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Anson Elementary second-grade teacher Ginna Randall helps Juancarlo Ramirez Lagunas with some schoolwork on Friday. Ramirez is one of 5,332 students enrolled in the Marshalltown Community School District — a reduction from last school year, but the district has proven it attracts students after setbacks.
The Marshalltown Community School District lost 87.9 students in the past year, according to certified enrollment from the Iowa Department of Education (DOE).
However, the loss was to be expected, as numerous public school districts across the state faced student population losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual certified enrollment is used by the DOE in the Iowa School Finance Formula for district funding, meaning districts receive money from the state based on the number of students. The more students, the higher amount of money.