Sharon Dattoli

By Emily Richmond

Wednesday, April 8, 2009 | 2 a.m.

The redrawing of public school attendance boundaries is an annual event in Clark County. Even with enrollment growth at a 25-year low, the School District still must rearrange student assignments to prevent crowding and maintain diversity. Sharon Dattoli is the district’s zoning and demographics director.

What has changed about the way the district tracks and predicts enrollment growth?

Until two years ago we used data from the DMV. But that doesn’t tell us when people leave. The birth rate is a more important factor. The 2004 number helps us estimate how many kindergartners we can expect in September.

Tanaka and Givens elementary schools will be moving to year-round schedules in the fall because more students are expected. Both are in neighborhoods with high foreclosure rates. Doesn’t that mean fewer students?

Just because a house is in foreclosure doesn’t mean it’s empty. You can get that foreclosure notice and still be there six months later. If there are three months left in the academic year, families are going to hang on so their child can stay at their school.

The district’s enrollment grew by less than 1 percent this school year. What are you predicting for the fall?

We’re expecting a similar percentage of growth, putting us at 313,688 students.

Will Clark County regain its title as the nation’s fastest-growing school district?

When growth does pick up, it’s going to be different from what we’ve been used to. People are going to be more cautious. We’re not going to see new neighborhoods spring up overnight.

Zoning meetings can get heated, with angry parents and emotional students. Does it ever get to you?

I have a child who was born, raised and attended schools here. What today’s parents are experiencing, I’ve experienced. I certainly feel for the families who are affected. But we have to do what’s best for as many of our students as possible.

Will there be a time when all elementary schools operate on nine-month calendars?

I don’t expect to see all schools on nine-month calendars during my tenure. We just don’t have enough classroom seats for that to even be a possibility. We have slower growth, but it’s still growth. There are still people moving to Las Vegas, who believe the grass is greener here.