Excellent Reporting -- The Williston Herald -- Williston, North Dakota

The Williston Herald has a number of great Bakken-related stories today, including an in-depth article on the school districts. A very good article; paints a fuller picture of how the Bakken is changing or has changed.

Williston Public School District 1 has estimated that 800-1,200 new students will enroll in the district by next fall, leaving school leaders anxious and scrambling as they try to figure out what to do during the next few months.

According to last year’s report, there were fewer children in the district in 2010 (2,402)  than in 2000 (2,496). In 2008, however, the total number of students began to climb. There was an 83-student increase from 2007 to 2008, and again from 2008 to 2009. 2009 to 2010 saw 100 more students.  In August of 1999, 2,619 students were enrolled, according to the district. In August of 2011, 2,639 were enrolled, and, according to a presentation called “Needs and Challenges of Williston Public School District 1,” which was given by LaFontaine on Dec. 7, the current student enrollment is 2,650. 

Lots of background information in that article.