SOME FOLKS WILL SAY "AMEN!" TO THIS NEWS

The new school year began Monday in Polk County --- a number of parents probably said "Amen!" to that --- with a new enrollment record being set. The Lakeland Ledger reported that 89,215 students reported for the first day of classes, an increase of 2.2 percent from last year's numbers.

At least one administrator at Polk County School District headquarters in Bartow suggested that the enrollment numbers could reach as high of 93,000 within two months. The first day figures, however, will have at least some people thinking that it marks the beginning of a slowdown in overall countywide growth.

The 2.2 percent first day hike compares with 3.5 percent from last year, 3.3 percent in 2005, and 4.0 percent in 2004.

So, what's happening? More homeschooled kids? More students being enrolled in private or parochial schools? Or are we seeing more folks leaving the area, joining the reported parade of people leaving Florida in the face of higher property taxes?

Hmmmmmmm...has some of you scratching your heads.