BRISTOL — Bristol School is cutting back on the number of open-enrollment students it accepts.

The Bristol Board of Education voted Tuesday to accept 21 open-enrollment students for the 2010-11 school year.

The remainder of the 69 students who applied will be put on a waiting list.

“This is the lowest amount we’ve accepted in a long time,” said Administrator Gale Ryczek. He said the school, which has 675 students in grades K-8, is running out of room.

Ryczek had initially recommended the district accept 25 students, but scaled back that number after board members voiced concerns about the number of kindergartners being accepted.

Parents had until Feb. 19 to apply for open enrollment in Wisconsin public schools. Families are then told whether they have been accepted by mid-April, and then have until July to confirm which district they will attend.

Some families apply for multiple districts, then pick from among those where students are accepted.

Bristol has typically had the highest number of open-enrollment students among Kenosha County schools. Those students, who each come with a payment to the district of about $6,400, have helped the school remain financially stable.

Ryczek said in past years Bristol has accepted far more students. But the school is running out of room, he said, and wants to keep class sizes in the primary grades small.

“I think we’re going to be leveling off now,” he said of enrollment.

In choosing open-enrollment students, the district gives priority to students who were already enrolled at Bristol, but have moved out of the district. Children with siblings at school are also given a priority.

Remaining students accepted will be chosen by lottery from applicants, Ryczek said.