Officials at a local private school are dismissing rumors the school is closing its doors.

Panama City Christian School President Dr. Bruce Barton says the school will remain open next year, but Barton admits enrollment is down 15 percent since the beginning of this school year.

He says approximately 200 students currently attend. Some of the parents who have transferred their children out of the school have cited the economy as the reason.

Bay District school officials say they have no way to measure the number of private school students who've transferred into the public school system.