Third-Friday enrollment snapshot: district at 9,323 students; demographic and cohort shifts noted
Loading...
Summary
The district reported 9,323 students in the third-Friday count, with a net decline compared with last year concentrated at the elementary and high-school levels; demographic shifts include increases in Hispanic and Black enrollment and a higher measured rate of economically disadvantaged students when using direct-certification metrics.
District staff presented the district’s third-Friday enrollment snapshot showing a total headcount of 9,323 students and described trends by school, grade band and demographic group.
Staff warned the count is a single-day headcount (the standard third-Friday snapshot) that feeds parts of state funding formulas and the revenue-limit calculation. The presenter said the district’s total on the third Friday in September was 9,323 students and that the net change from the prior year was a loss of 115 students.
By level, staff said elementary enrollment declined by a net 47 students (total elementary enrollment 4,400, slightly below the five-year average of 4,471). The middle-school level was up a net of 5 students; high schools were down a net of 73 students. The presenter noted cohort-size differences cause some year-to-year fluctuation.
On demographics, staff reported increases in several groups compared with the prior year: Black students were up 39, Hispanic students up 69 and students identifying as two or more races were up 26; students identifying as white decreased by 210. The presenter underscored the district’s diversity and noted the snapshot can change as students enroll or leave.
Staff explained a shift in how the district reports economic need: historically the district reported free-and-reduced lunch counts; the district will move toward an “economically disadvantaged” measure that includes free-and-reduced applications, direct certification (SNAP/Medicaid/direct cert) and universal free-lunch eligibility. Using the more holistic economically disadvantaged measure, staff said the district’s rate rises to about 64.3% (from the smaller free-and-reduced percentage), and that this is the metric that will align with future state report-card and accountability measures.
Open-enrollment counts were presented: staff said 219 students were open-enrolled into the district as a cumulative snapshot; trends in new open enrollment and open-enroll-out were described as stable over recent years. Staff also showed that approximately 17.7% of the district’s students were served in special education, a higher rate among county districts.
Board members asked clarifying questions about how economically disadvantaged status is determined; the presenter said the state’s direct-certification system (SNAP/Medicaid, automatic certifications) plus registration information and a district calculator determine the combined economically disadvantaged count. The board received the report; no formal action was taken.
