Balsz District Sees Gaping Loss in Enrollment

PHOENIX - Several schools in the valley had their first day of school on Monday. So far, some districts are seeing a big drop in enrollment, and school leaders are wondering if Arizona's immigration law is to blame.

Dr. Jeff Smith, Balsz District Superintendent, has never seen this kind of drop in enrollment. He can't say for sure what's causing it, but because his district is largely Hispanic, he's betting the immigration law may driving out families.

Fewer students showed up for the first day of school at Brunson Lee Elementary Monday morning -- 5th grader Gustavo Morales says he noticed a lot of empty seats in his class.

"There's supposed to be 24 in my class but only 17 showed up," he says.

Across the Balsz school district, enrollment is way down at the start of the year. They expected 2,809 students, but only 2,250 showed up. That's a drop-off of 559 students.

To put that in perspective, on the first day of school last year, the district was down just 326 students.

"We've been worried a lot about the effects of the immigration law and how the population would see that, whether they would leave or not," says Dr. Smith.

Smith says many parents, who may be here illegally, have hinted they're leaving the state. "People maybe feel more reticent to go out and walk their kids to school and be out in public because of what might happen."

The district says the more students they lose, the more funding they lose. But all Gustavo cares about are the classmates he's losing.

"Three kids in my class I know they moved to Mexico. A lot of others, around my neighborhood... I've been losing a lot of friends," says Gustavo.

In some heavily-Hispanic neighborhoods in west Phoenix, parking lots and storefronts are now vacant. In the places that are still open, owners say business has been slow, and they blame the immigration law.

"We're barely open, but like I said, I know a lot of people having a tough time... our state is made up of immigrants so it does make a difference," says Jose Avila, partial owner of Botanic El Pelon Avila.

SB 1070 goes into effect on July 29, barring any legal action.

Arizona Immigration Law - Senate Bill 1070:

Read the entire bill online  »

Read a fact sheet/summary of the bill  »

Read the Justice Dept. Lawsuit against Arizona »