ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Rock Hill School District is projected to lose 10.1% of its student population over the next 10 years, according to a recent demographic study. This decline represents an anticipated loss of approximately 1,590 students.
The projections were presented this week by officials with the Catawba Regional Council of Governments. The findings come despite Rock Hill being the largest city in one of the fastest-growing counties in South Carolina. District leaders are now using the data to address significant facility needs and long-range planning.
Officials with the Catawba Regional Council of Governments cited several factors for the projected enrollment decrease. These include an increasing number of retirees moving into Rock Hill and a trend of residents having fewer children.
Education leaders noted that parents also have more options for their children’s schooling than in previous years. Data presented this week shows that the number of students attending non-traditional private schools is increasing.
One member of the school board expressed interest in how the district can remain competitive amid these changes.
“What I’m interested in as a board member is what does that look like for Rock Hill schools, and how can we be the best option or the option that parents choose when they are making a choice educational decision. We want to be the number one choice,” the board member said.
Montrio Belton, who also serves on the Rock Hill School Board, called the new enrollment projections a point of concern for leadership.
“Well, obviously, it’s concerning as a school district. You want to sustain student population, or you want to grow,” Belton said.
District leaders are currently evaluating how the loss of approximately 160 students per year will affect individual campuses. The demographic study also highlighted the age of existing infrastructure within the district. Currently, 58% of the schools in the district are more than 50 years old.
Superintendent Dr. Deborah Elder said the data will serve as a foundation for future construction and maintenance decisions.
“With 58% of our schools more than 50 years old, the need is clear,” Elder said in a statement. “The demographic study is the first step in developing a long-range plan to address our district’s significant facility needs.”
When asked if the study could eventually lead to school closures, board members emphasized that no specific decisions have been made.
“Well, I’m not 100% sure where it will lead, but what I want to as an individual on the board is I want our community to be involved in those conversations,” a board member said. Leaders indicated that public input will be a part of the long-range planning process.
Rock Hill Schools leaders say they are working to address aging facilities and shifting enrollment trends.
In a statement, Superintendent Dr. Deborah Elder said she spent her first weeks in the district visiting every school and quickly realized that improving learning environments must be a top priority.
“In the early weeks of my time in Rock Hill, I visited every school and walked each building with the principal. It quickly became apparent that an important priority would be improving learning environments. With 58% of our schools over 50 years old, the need is clear. The demographic study is the first step in developing a long-range plan to address our district’s significant facility needs. Modernized learning facilities are key to advancing the Board of Trustees’ goal to make RHS THE proud first choice for families. Next, we will review a comprehensive study of each facility in the district. Decisions must be made strategically and purposefully, addressing the goal to improve learning environments for each student in the Rock Hill Schools.”
District officials say enrollment challenges are tied to broader demographic shifts. According to the Catawba Regional presentation, the average age in Rock Hill is 49, the city has more retirees, families are having fewer children, and the average household size is decreasing—all trends that mirror statewide and national patterns.
In a statement, a district spokesperson said they are working to respond to those changes.
“We’ve launched a Learn Where You Live initiative. That’s one of the efforts underway to improve enrollment, but our numbers are very similar to national trends. We offer a wide variety of program options to ensure we have a place for every student and family in Rock Hill.”
The next step for the district will be to review the specific study for each school facility. District leaders stated they will provide updates to the public as they move forward with decisions regarding the long-range facility plan.
VIDEO: Rock Hill Schools’ new superintendent prioritizes teacher support and community
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
