Cordley School was full of activity Monday as children pored over books, scurried around the playground, crafted lovely pictures and pounded out notes on instruments.

Now, imagine if all those 211 students instantly disappeared.

That’s essentially what occurred to elementary school enrollment in the Lawrence public school district between September 2002 and Monday, based on the official enrollment counts.

Enrollment at the district’s 15 elementary schools fell by 218 to 4,886 — a steeper drop than projected based on first-day enrollment tabulations in August.

Although there was a slight increase in enrollment at secondary schools as of Monday, the continued evaporation of elementary students led to a 2.1 percent decline in overall enrollment to 9,817.

“We are a declining-enrollment district,” Supt. Randy Weseman said. “The same thing is happening in the state, except Johnson County.”

The district’s elementary school numbers have fallen by at least 140 students in each of the past four years.

Weseman said detective work by district staff indicated 751 students moved out of the district in the past year while 674 moved into the district’s territory, producing a net loss of 77 students.

“I can’t quantify this, but … of people moving out, they were talking about lack of affordable housing,” Weseman said.

First-graders in Jim Rome's class at New York School line up at the end of the school day. In line, from left, earlier this school year are Rome and students Cleo LeMaster, Monica McCrary and Jordan Girmaye. Enrollment numbers are down this year in the district.

The district’s sleuths accounted for the 135 other missing students. Forty-four chose to enroll in private schools, 36 gave notification they were dropping out, and 21 opted to be home schooled. Thirty-three students vanished and will eventually be turned in as truant. One student died.

The headcount in September is important because it’s used by state auditors to set official enrollments for all districts in the state.

With more than 200 fewer students on the rolls, the district can expect to receive about $800,000 less from the state under the school finance formula.

The district’s official headcount compared with 2002:

l High school was 2,484, down 13. Lawrence High School had 1,264, and Free State High School had 1,220.

l Junior high school was 2,447, up 19. The high was 678 at Southwest Junior High School and the low was 489 at Central Junior High School.

l Elementary school was 4,886, down 218. Three schools (Cordley, New York, Woodlawn) had less than 250 students, and four schools (Deerfield, Prairie Park, Schwegler and Sunflower) had more than 400 children. The eight other schools were in the 250- to 400-student range.