District reports third-Friday count down 121 students; membership and open-enrollment shifts detailed

Miss Parenboom, presenting the district’s third-Friday count, told the board the official count for Sept. 15 was "a count that was down by 121 students." She explained the distinction between the state’s count and the district’s membership enrollment — the latter is the figure used in funding formulas and can differ from the raw count.

The district reported membership was down 13 students compared with last year. Prekindergarten (P4J) enrollment fell by 43. Open-enrollment figures showed 578 students open-enrolled into the district and 588 open-enrolled out, a net loss of 10 students in open enrollment. Miss Parenboom outlined net transfers by sending district: a net gain of 101 students from Beloit, 19 from Orfordville Parkview and 13 from Milton; the district recorded net losses of 22 students each to Edgerton and Merrill and 48 to McFarland.

Parroting state counting rules, Miss Parenboom explained a student is counted either by being in a seat on the count day or by attending on a day before and a day after the count date within the reporting window. She also told trustees the count was submitted to the Department of Public Instruction by the district’s deadline and cautioned that the DPI’s forthcoming equalization aid release could alter funding numbers tied to the count.

Board members asked clarifying questions during and after the presentation; one member sought confirmation that the referenced school was Parkview (the presenter confirmed Orfordville Parkview). Administrators also said actual enrollment remains closely aligned with the staffing plan developed in spring 2023 for most buildings, citing examples such as Edison Middle School where actual enrollment slightly exceeded the staffing projection.

The district will incorporate the DPI’s final equalization aid figures when preparing the budget documents and will present those numbers during the upcoming budget hearing and finance committee discussions.