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End-of-year enrollment: 3,691 students; ALC and Big 9 online numbers explained
Summary
Superintendent Hillman presented the June 2025 end-of-year enrollment report showing 3,691 full-time students on the last day of school and explained how the Area Learning Center (ALC) and the Big 9 online partnership are counted and why ALC counts grow during the year.
The Northfield Public School Board received its June 2025 end-of-year enrollment report on June 9, showing 3,691 full-time students on the district’s last day of school and clarifying how Area Learning Center (ALC) and online-enrollment partnerships are counted.
Superintendent Tim Hillman said the raw headcount for the day was 3,691 and that when weighted ADM components are applied for funding calculations, the numbers move closer to budget projections. He explained that ALC enrollment can appear to grow substantially during the school year because the ALC encompasses three program types: a seat-based program (students attending in person), an independent-study option (students working remotely or part‑time earning credit) and a night‑class/Edgenuity online program.
Hillman gave June 1 figures to illustrate the ALC breakdown: 52 full-time, seat-based students were attending in person; 54 students were participating in independent study (which can count toward additional ADM because students can generate up to 0.2 ADM extra based on credits earned); and a limited “night-class” online program (run via Edgenuity with Randolph as partner) allows students to earn up to two credits in that program. Because independent-study participation ranges from minimal to full-time, the ALC total can look large even though only about 52 students were present in the ALC classroom on June 1.
Hillman also described the Big 9 online partnership (Owatonna online), which the district uses for some online instruction. Northfield began the year with 52 Big 9 online students and ended with 67, Hillman reported. He noted that through the partnership the district retains a portion of state aid (about 40%) while Owatonna provides instruction and bills the district tuition for those services.
Board members asked follow-up questions about where ALC students reside and how counts are reported. Hillman said roughly 63.5% of seat-based ALC students live in Northfield; other students come from nearby districts including Arcadia, Faribault and Randolph. For independent study students, Hillman gave a breakdown showing 27 from Northfield and 16 from other districts. Hillman said he will provide a cleaned spreadsheet with additional detail to board members.
What’s next: staff will refine reporting formats for ALC enrollment to make the distinctions among seat-based, independent-study and online-night programs more transparent in future reports.
