East Penn Superintendent of Schools Thomas L. Seidenberger told the East Penn Board of School Directors at Monday night’s school board meeting that enrollment numbers in the district are still on the rise.

There has been an increase in enrollment in the district of 53 students overall from this time last year (November 2011), making the total district-wide enrollment 8,075. The biggest increase is being seen at the elementary level, Seidenberger said, while the high school numbers are down by 20 from a year ago.

Seidenberger also touched on increases the district is seeing in its special education classes, including a 16-student jump in the number of autistic students being served. “Sometimes the numbers are going to dictate that we need more classes,” Seidenberger said, since the state mandates student-teacher ratios in the special ed area.

He also told the board that East Penn may need to hire an additional gifted teacher for 2013-2014.

Seidenberger said he that will report to the board how these and other enrollment numbers will impact the 2013-2014 budget at a future school board meeting.