The superintendent of the Portage School Division didn't expect to be down so much.

The official enrollment report shows the division is less 32 students from last year and is 17 bodies from matching their budget.

But while Larry Taylor calls the finding disappointing, he remains optimistic, pointing out the amalgamated high school has about 40 more students than what was initially projected.

Taylor explains the division will have to make up for the enrollment losses when it comes time to draft their next budget.

He links the decrease in students to families with children leaving the Portage area.