The official enrollment report Friday confirmed the worst for Lawrence public schools.

Headcount in the district’s elementary and secondary schools is down 177 students from last year, meaning the district must swallow every penny of a projected $664,000 reduction this year in state aid.

Elementary school enrollment slipped by 189 children, while attendance in the junior high schools and high schools climbed by a dozen students. The total for purposes of figuring state appropriations to the district for the year stands at 10,024.

It was the third consecutive year of decline in the district.

Scott Morgan, president of the school board, said the enrollment report indicated no deeper district budget cuts would be required in this school year unless the state mandated additional midyear spending reductions.

In August, the board approved use of $300,000 from a reserve fund and ordered a hiring freeze to counter revenue shortfalls tied to enrollment reductions and a budget cut ordered by Gov. Bill Graves.

Morgan said the loss of so many elementary students might strengthen incentive to close some of the district’s 18 elementary schools.

The decline among elementary students was bigger than the current total enrollment at three Lawrence schools East Heights, Riverside and New York. All three were listed as candidates for consolidation by DLR Group, an Overland Park company hired by the district to assist with development of a 20-year facilities master plan.

“I don’t know how long the community will allow us to maintain that capacity,” Morgan said.

Here’s the enrollment breakdown: elementary, 5,092, down 189; junior high, 2,426, up five; high school, 2,506, up seven.

Morgan said enrollment in public schools numbers were down at every elementary grade level reflected growing popularity of private schools and home schooling.

“We lose those kids along the line,” he said. “It points out the competitive nature of education these days.”