Deming Public Schools’ superintendent told the board on Thursday that overall district enrollment appears flat compared with recent years and that kindergarten enrollment is the metric the district watches most closely because it affects future cohort sizes and state funding.

The superintendent said the district reports membership to the Public Education Department on several count days (40th, 80th, 120th and end of year), and that the averaged counts drive state funding. On the 40th‑day (typically in October) the district recorded 4,750 students last year and had 4,788 as of an August 14 pull; the superintendent said the fortieth‑day number typically rises between August and October and then trends down by the 120th day.

Officials highlighted kindergarten figures: the district had 443 kindergarteners on last year’s 40th‑day count and 354 as of the August pull. Staff cautioned the August count usually increases toward the 40th day and predicted only a small net change year‑to‑year, with a modest long‑term flattening after a pandemic‑era enrollment spike.

The superintendent asked the board whether they wanted additional monthly detail; trustees accepted the regular monthly enrollment updates and the district said it will continue to post school‑level figures in the slideshow provided to the board.