State budget office and fiscal agency staff presented updated K-12 membership estimates to the CREC on May 20 and principals adopted the figures by voice vote.

"Since we last met in January of this year, we've received our audited February student counts," Beth Bullion of the State Budget Office told the conference, presenting a small upward technical adjustment of 200 pupils for fiscal 2024-25 and revised blends for future years. Bullion said the 2024-25 membership blend totals 1,384,500 pupils (1,330,000 in local districts and 54,500 in public school academies), a decline of just under 6,400 pupils from the 2023-24 fiscal year.

For the 2025-26 fiscal year the staff proposed a projection of about 1,377,800 pupils and a continued decline to 1,370,100 in the 2026-27 planning year. Bullion noted ongoing lower birth cohorts as a reason for the expected enrollment contraction.

Principals moved, seconded and adopted the pupil-count estimates by voice vote. The CREC also approved the pupil adjustment factors staff recommended: 1.0049 for 2025-26 and 1.0056 for 2026-27. The adopted counts will be used in the school-aid fund and executive budget work.