The tally of students who show up at each school district is a major factor in how much money a district gets from the state.
There are two count days each year; one in the spring and one in the fall. This year state lawmakers changed the formula so that the fall count day is even more important. The number of students a district has is determined by a blend of the two count days. The fall day makes up 90-percent of that blend, the spring only 10-percent.
Bernard Taylor is Superintendent of Grand Rapids Public Schools. The district expects to lose about 400 students this year.
“We have a lot of neat things that are scheduled to make families feel welcome so I hope everyone will be in school everywhere – not just in Grand Rapids but throughout the county and the state so that we all maximize the resources that we need to educate these students.”
The Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency estimates changing the count day formula will save the state $15 million this year. That also means districts with declining student enrollment will get less money.
