Norwich – An early glimpse at the 2016-17 public school enrollment this week revealed a transient student population, a continued need for bilingual education and more city students leaving for out-of-district schools.

Superintendent Abby Dolliver presented early enrollment numbers to the Board of Education Tuesday, along with a list of 14 charter, magnet and religious schools that Norwich students have the option to attend.

As of Sept. 1, Norwich public schools had 3,543 total students in preschool through eighth grade classes, down by 90 students from the population totals in June.

But Dolliver does not expect that figure to remain stable. Norwich has experienced high rates of transiency during the past several years, and she doesn't expect that to change.

The district has 340 new students – not including the 260 entering preschool. Of those, 53 returned to Norwich after having left the district. Another 97 Norwich students moved from one Norwich school to another, Dolliver said.

The city remains attractive to new immigrant families, Dolliver said, with 569 students enrolled in bilingual programs in all grade levels, including 176 new bilingual students. Of those, 120 are kindergarten students. Forty new immigrant students speak no English, Dolliver said.

Norwich had 76 requests from families to move their children into magnet or charter schools throughout the region, but 10 have returned to Norwich “due to transportation” issues, Dolliver reported. She said that number could increase. Norwich doesn't pay to transport students to out-of-town elementary and middle school charter and magnet schools.

As of Sept. 1, Norwich had 1,278 regular education high school students enrolled at Norwich Free Academy, the city's main designated high school, and 53 at NFA's transitional Sachem Campus program.

Another 263 regular education students attend seven other high schools, including 156 at the state-run Norwich Regional Technical High School and 33 each at Grasso Tech in Groton and the Science and Technology Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut in New London.

Norwich doesn't yet have enrollment numbers from Quinebaug Middle College, but 17 Norwich students attend the Three Rivers Middle College – 11th and 12th grades only.

This year, Norwich added Ledyard High School, at a tuition of about $1,400 per student lower than NFA, and Bacon Academy in Colchester, with a tuition about $2,000 higher than NFA, to the list of high school choices.

Four Norwich students now attend Ledyard High – in addition to 12 at Ledyard High's agri-science program – and eight have enrolled at Bacon Academy.

Elementary and middle school choice is a more recent development. As of Sept. 1, 478 Norwich students opted to attend other elementary and middle schools, including religious schools.

New London's magnet schools have attracted dozens of Norwich students – 39 at Winthrop STEM School, 45 at Nathan Hale, 25 at the STEM Magnet Middle School and 10 at the Arts Magnet Middle School.

Still, the more popular choice for local families remains the city's Catholic schools, with 138 Norwich students attending Sacred Heart in Taftville and 121 at St. Patrick's on Broadway. Another 23 students attend Wildwood Christian Academy.

Dolliver said enrollment for Saint Bernard's in Montville was not yet available.

Enrollment also was not available for the Integrated Day Charter School in Norwich, one of the region's first charter schools dating back to September 1997.

c.bessette@theday.com