Enrollment in the Halifax County school system is down by about 400 students thus far, its spokesperson said yesterday.

The number of students within the system determine the funds it receives from the state and the decrease could mean the loss of three or four teachers, Keith Hoggard said.

If the decrease holds it could also mean a $3.2 million loss in state funding.

The funds the school system receives or a decision on what happens with teachers won’t be made until school has been in session for 10 days, he said.

For the past five years the school system has lost 200 students a year, Hoggard said. “We’ve lost more than anticipated if this holds up,” Hoggard said, “But we could gain students by the end of next week.”

The drop in students was around 500 but the system gained about 120, according to attendance figures yesterday, Hoggard said.

There are several reasons enrollment is down, Hoggard explained. “A lot of them are are going to early college.”

Early college is a program offered at Halifax Community College where students take their regular school work while also taking college courses which give them enough credits for a two-year degree or two years of credits to take on to a four-year school.

Many parents are putting their children in charter schools, he said, and some are taking students to neighboring school districts including Northampton, Warren, Edgecombe and Nash-Rocky Mount. There has also been a steady population decline with the number of people with children because of factories closing, meaning people are leaving the area to find jobs.

There are currently 3,885 students in the school system. “We’re hoping to get a few more back. It’s only the fourth day of school. We picked up 120 and hope by the end of next week to pick up 100 to 200 more,” Hoggard said.

If state funding should be cut by the end of the 10 days, Hoggard said the school system would have to look elsewhere to make up funding.