Twenty-two school districts participating in a new Wayne-Finger Lakes education planning initiative have collectively lost nearly a third of their K–12 enrollment over the past 30 years, highlighting the changing student population that will shape decisions about programs, services and regional cooperation.
The districts enrolled 26,060 students in 2025–26, compared with 38,603 in 1995–96, according to a FingerLakes1 analysis of district-level enrollment records published through a New York enrollment map. That represents a decline of 12,543 students, or 32.5%.
Against that backdrop, Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES and the districts are partnering with the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education and Human Development to develop a Regional Future of Education Blueprint.
The initiative announced Nov. 9 will examine ways to strengthen existing school systems, expand shared services and explore new educational structures. The announcement begins a planning process; it does not approve district mergers, school closures or particular program changes.
Declining enrollment remains a current issue
The enrollment changes extend beyond the decades-long comparison.
Across the 22 participating districts, enrollment fell from 30,396 in 2015–16 to 26,060 in 2025–26, a decline of 14.3%. Over the most recent five-year period, the combined count dropped by 2,117 students, or 7.5%.
Twenty-one of the 22 districts enrolled fewer students in 2025–26 than in 2020–21. Lyons was essentially unchanged, increasing from 839 students to 840.
The figures describe a broad regional pattern, but individual districts face different circumstances.
Honeoye’s enrollment fell from 1,101 students in 1995–96 to 483 in 2025–26, a decline of 56.1%. Marion declined 53.5%, Naples 48.1% and Marcus Whitman 47.3%.
Newark recorded the largest numerical decrease over the 30-year comparison, losing 1,257 students. Canandaigua enrolled 1,165 fewer students, while Penn Yan’s count fell by 927.
Those changes provide context for the blueprint’s examination of sustainable educational programs. Enrollment data alone, however, do not establish which services should be shared or whether any particular organizational change would benefit students.
Victor stands apart, but recent trends differ
Victor is the only participating district with more students than it had 30 years ago.
Its K–12 enrollment increased from 2,993 in 1995–96 to 4,030 in 2025–26, a gain of 34.6%. It is also the largest district participating in the initiative.
That long-term growth does not mean enrollment has continued rising recently. Victor’s count declined 6.8% over 10 years and 3.2% over five years.
Romulus shows a different pattern. Its enrollment remains 37.8% below the 1995–96 level, but increased from 367 students in 2015–16 to 390 in 2025–26. Its five-year change was a decrease of seven students.
The differences illustrate why the choice of comparison period matters. A district can remain substantially smaller than it was a generation ago while experiencing relative stability more recently.
How the participating districts compare
The following figures cover kindergarten through grade 12 and exclude prekindergarten.
| District | 2025–26 enrollment | Change since 1995–96 | Change since 2020–21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomfield | 672 | −44.4% | −18.4% |
| Canandaigua | 3,029 | −27.8% | −5.4% |
| Dundee | 546 | −45.3% | −3.0% |
| Gananda | 762 | −24.3% | −9.5% |
| Geneva | 1,827 | −26.2% | −6.8% |
| Marcus Whitman | 976 | −47.3% | −7.1% |
| Honeoye | 483 | −56.1% | −13.1% |
| Lyons | 840 | −30.9% | +0.1% |
| Red Jacket | 643 | −39.5% | −15.2% |
| Marion | 571 | −53.5% | −3.1% |
| Naples | 527 | −48.1% | −11.3% |
| Newark | 1,676 | −42.9% | −12.8% |
| Palmyra-Macedon | 1,540 | −33.8% | −12.3% |
| Penn Yan | 1,234 | −42.9% | −3.6% |
| Midlakes | 1,369 | −37.6% | −8.9% |
| Red Creek | 704 | −42.3% | −10.9% |
| Romulus | 390 | −37.8% | −1.8% |
| Seneca Falls | 1,117 | −33.6% | −4.8% |
| Sodus | 945 | −43.3% | −1.3% |
| Victor | 4,030 | +34.6% | −3.2% |
| Waterloo | 1,292 | −35.7% | −12.3% |
| Williamson | 887 | −38.0% | −9.9% |
The analysis counts each participating district once. Shoreline Compass identifies its source as annual New York State Education Department public district enrollment files. Its latest figures are final 2025–26 counts taken Oct. 1, 2025, rather than enrollment for the current 2026–27 school year.
Blueprint will explore options, rather than prescribe one solution
The Warner School will develop potential options for the districts and BOCES, with findings intended to support further regional discussions.
The work will consider targeted improvements within existing systems, expanded shared and integrated services, and new structures intended to broaden student learning opportunities.
Christopher Barnard, district superintendent of Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES, said collaboration offers an opportunity to strengthen educational experiences and expand access.
“This important work will allow us to look beyond the challenges of today and develop thoughtful, sustainable solutions that support the changing needs of our students, schools and communities,” Barnard said.
The participating districts range from Romulus, with 390 K–12 students, to Victor, with 4,030. That variation means the planning effort will encompass both small rural systems and larger districts with different enrollment histories.
The announcement does not identify a completion date, project cost or schedule for public meetings. It says the findings will provide a foundation for continued conversations about the region’s educational future.
For families, the next substantive development will be the options the researchers present — and how districts propose using them to preserve or expand opportunities for students.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.
