After a gain of 132 students last year, Richfield schools added 170 students this fall to bring its enrollment to 2001 levels after years of declining numbers.

Business Manager Michael Schwartz detailed the tally for school board members at their regular meeting Monday night, explaining that strong growth in the district's elementary schools more than offset continued losses at Richfield Senior High School.

An official headcount is taken every school year on Oct. 1 (this year's was taken on Sept. 30 because Oct. 1 was a Saturday). It's important, Schwartz told the board, because most of the district's funding is calculated based on its enrollment.

The board also learned Monday night that employment in the district is down slightly, from 677 last year to 673 this fall, according to a report presented by Craig Holje, the district's director of personnel and administrative services. Most of the reductions were in teaching positions at Richfield Senior High School, which has been losing enrollment since 2007.

Most of the enrollment growth in the district the past couple of years has been in the elementary grades, with K-2 numbers starting to rise in 2006 and 3-5 numbers starting their climb in 2009.

"Our enrollment at K-4 for the past five years has continued to maintain class sizes of over 300 students and that increase in enrollment has moved into grade 5," said the student-count report prepared by Schwartz. "The 431 kindergarten students are the largest class since 385 in FY 1993."

Middle school enrollment was up 29 over 2010. Even the high school's drop of 25 students wasn't totally bad news, according to the report.

"It appears the high school enrollment is starting to stabilize, with the drop in enrollment being less than in prior years," it said. "Both the freshman and sophomore grades have over 300 students."