The Effingham County School System began the 2013-14 academic year with nearly the same number of students as it had last year.

A total of 10,827 students were enrolled in the county’s 13 public schools on Tuesday’s second day of class, a difference of just 14 students from the 10,841 on last year’s second day.

“(It’s) pretty flat growth overall at this point,” Superintendent Randy Shearouse said. “I don’t think there are any real surprises for us in the numbers we’re seeing across the district.”

The most any school’s enrollment dropped from last year’s second day to this year’s was 41 students at Springfield Elementary (from 597 to 556), followed by 27 at Ebenezer Middle (804 to 777).

Guyton Elementary saw the highest increase, of 23 students, from 589 to 612. Sand Hill Elementary’s enrollment is up by 22 students (528-550) and South Effingham Middle’s by 20 (962-982).

With 826 students, Blandford Elementary by far has the highest enrollment among the county’s eight elementary schools. The next-highest is 660 at Marlow.

However, Shearouse said, Blandford — and all the county’s schools — have adequate room for students. Some classroom space at Blandford was freed up last year when the school district moved pre-kindergarten classes from BES to Rincon Elementary.

“Blandford actually has a couple classrooms that could be used if needed, so that certainly helps,” Shearouse said. “We have a classroom for every child and every program.”

Of the 3,349 students in Effingham County’s two high schools, 576 are taking classes at the Effingham College and Career Academy for part of the school day. ECCA programs such as culinary arts, health care science and logistics are full and even have waiting lists, according to Shearouse.

“We feel like things are really growing there and we look forward to that continuing,” he said.

Effingham County 2013-14 enrollment
Enrollment figures for the second day of class, by school:
                                             2012-13     2013-14
Blandford Elementary              835           826
Ebenezer Elementary               562          573
Guyton Elementary                   589          612
Marlow Elementary                  670           660
Rincon Elementary                   496           475
Sand Hill Elementary                528           550
South Effingham Elementary   660           653
Springfield Elementary             597           556
Ebenezer Middle                      804           777
Effingham County Middle        808           814
South Effingham Middle           962           982
Effingham County High          1,883         1,886
South Effingham High            1,447         1,463
Total                                    10,841       10,827