Other Middle Tennessee school districts are seeing student enrollment spikes.

Nashville public schools enrollment dropped to 85,287 students in the 2018-19 school year, a decline that a district official said is likely due to the city's changing neighborhoods.

The year-over-year Metro Nashville Public Schools enrollment dip is statistically flat, with about 115 fewer students attending this school year than in 2016-17, according to enrollment numbers provided by the district.

Last year, the district had 85,399 students enrolled. In the 2015-16 school year, 86,633 students were enrolled.

Elsewhere, other districts have seen enrollment growth, bucking the trend the city is beginning to see.

Rising housing prices, gentrifying neighborhoods

Next year, the district's enrollment is expected to remain statistically flat again, said Ryan Latimer, MNPS student assignment services planning coordinator.

"Relatively for next year, and what we are starting to focus on, is enrollment is projected to be about flat," Latimer said. "One model has us about 200 students up or 200 students down."

The constant change in Nashville over the last several years has made it difficult to project enrollment, Latimer said.

"Some of it is the cost of housing and some of it is because neighborhoods are gentrifying. You have different families move in," Latimer said. "If you look at Pearl Cohn (High School), they've had more demolitions and more construction than any other cluster. Enrollment has gone down as the housing stock has changed."

The student enrollment drop this year isn't likely to have any budget implications, said Chris Henson, the district's chief operating officer. Those projections are holding steady.

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As enrollment lags, MNPS misses out on state money

Last school year, the district budgeted for flat enrollment after last year when the district expected enrollment to grow after years of increases. It also left the district without $7.5 million it expected from the state that would have been doled out for enrollment increases.

While Nashville public schools' student population has slightly dropped, other Middle Tennessee school districts have seen student population increases in recent years.

That includes neighboring Williamson County Schools and Wilson County Schools, which have seen steady enrollment increases.

Williamson County Schools is bursting at the seams, with 11 schools over capacity and more than 40,000 students.

Wilson County Schools grew by about 1,000 students this school year.

Amelia Ferrell Knisley and Andy Humbles contributed.

Reach Jason Gonzales at jagonzales@tennessean.com and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales.