By David Fleet

Editor

Goodrich

– On Feb. 8, the school district joined others statewide in the spring student count day.

District wide, enrollment dropped from 2,094 in February 2016 to 2,061 in 2017—down 33 students. While the high school, Oaktree and Reid elementary schools all posted gains in enrollment at the middle school, which include grades sixth-eight dipped by 88 students according to the report. Count day has major financial implications for public schools. The February count represents 10 percent of the per-pupil funding, combined with 90 percent in October. Each student represents about $7,500 in state funds for the district.

Dispite the downturn in enrollment, Ryan Relken, interim superintendent said a growth period is expected for the district.

“While overall there are about 30 less kids comparing this year’s count and the February 2016 count, we are optimistic that the trends are working in our favor,” said Relken.

“For starters, our numbers are up the elementary and high school. This is offset by a drop in students at the middle school level. With large class cohorts expected to enter the middle school over the next two to three years and an uptick in our kindergarten group, we believe that we are about to enter a period of growth. The local housing market has rebounded and we are proud to be seen as a destination school district both for families moving in as well as families looking for School of Choice options. We expect that when the dust settles that we will more than make up for the 30 student reduction from 2016 to 2017 and be ahead in terms of student count by the time school starts this fall.”

Currently about two of every 10 students in the district are School of Choice.

Of the 2,061 students enrolled in the district 429 or 20.8 percent are School of Choice/non-resident students. The school board of trustees voted 7-0 last April to adopt a resolution exercising the option permitted by Section 105 of the State School Aid Act, to operate a Schools of Choice program and accept applications for enrollment of non-resident students from outside of the district who reside within a constituent district with the Genesee Intermediate School District. The board also voted 7-0 in April to accept non-resident students from outside of the district who are residents of intermediate school districts contiguous to the Genesee Intermediate School District. The district allow unlimited enrollment in grades K-12.

In April 2010 the school board voted 4-3 to join the state’s Schools of Choice program for the 2010-2011 school year. That year the board voted out of the Genesee County program opting into the state’s school of choice program. The decision opened up enrollment to students from other districts, which allows an unlimited influx of students from outside the district.

At that time about 134 Schools of Choice students from 18 districts in Genesee County were in Goodrich, with 59 students from Grand Blanc, 28 from Davison and 16 who live in the Atherton School District.