St. Louis County Insider with Mark Harder on NewsTalkSTL
Sep 27, 2026 · 44 min · 11 segments
St. Louis County Insider with Mark Harder SUNDAYS AT 5PM WHO IS MARK HARDER? Mark Harder has been serving as the St. Louis County Councilman for District 7 since 2015. His district encompasses…
Ness SandovalGuest
Mark HarderHostMike RomermanGuestKen WilliamsHost
So, Ness, you came out with some reports recently about the younger age demographics in our school districts.
So just to take a step back, we have to understand these large national trends and where St. Louis fits and why this is impacting both our public and private schools.
Since the Great Recession of 2008, our 15-county MSA ranks fourth in the country, fourth in the country in the decline of births of all the top 50 metros.
And we're third in the absolute decline in births behind Los Angeles and Chicago.
Beginning this year, every year going forward, we will have 10,000 at a minimum fewer children born, 10,000 fewer children entering our schools every year.
Over a 10-year period, that's 100,000 fewer children coming into our school system, both public and private schools.
We've already saw this decline already in 2007, and schools had to adjust and pivot.
There's another decline that's much bigger coming, and that first wave will be here around 2031, 2032.
And then when those first graders start to get to high school, we're going to see a decline in our high school enrollments.
So this report you gave me, and I believe it reflects what you already sent out, is, you know, it shows, you know, every school district in the St. Louis County area, including the city of St. Louis, and the decline in each district.
So, Ness, you came out with some reports recently about the younger age demographics in our school districts.
So just to take a step back, we have to understand these large national trends and where St. Louis fits and why this is impacting both our public and private schools.
Since the Great Recession of 2008, our 15-county MSA ranks fourth in the country, fourth in the country in the decline of births of all the top 50 metros.
And we're third in the absolute decline in births behind Los Angeles and Chicago.
Beginning this year, every year going forward, we will have 10,000 at a minimum fewer children born, 10,000 fewer children entering our schools every year.
Over a 10-year period, that's 100,000 fewer children coming into our school system, both public and private schools.
We've already saw this decline already in 2007, and schools had to adjust and pivot.
There's another decline that's much bigger coming, and that first wave will be here around 2031, 2032.
And then when those first graders start to get to high school, we're going to see a decline in our high school enrollments.
So this report you gave me, and I believe it reflects what you already sent out, is, you know, it shows, you know, every school district in the St. Louis County area, including the city of St. Louis, and the decline in each district.
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