Good news for Oxford Schools ? it appears there are 4,388 students in the district, an increase of 44 over last year.
‘We’re real pleased to be up,? said Superintendent Dr. Bill Skilling. ‘When you consider that 70 percent of the school districts in Michigan are in declining enrollment, we’ve been fortunate that we continue to grow.?
On Wednesday, Sept. 24, public school districts across the state conducted unofficial head counts.
The counts are used to help determine how much per-pupil money each district receives from the state.
Although Oxford counted 4,388 students, that number could decrease by about five pupils, according to Assistant Superintendent Nancy Kammer.
Five of the students who were counted last week did not attend school Sept. 24, but had attended prior to count day.
Kammer said the district is checking into those students? status to see whether they moved, transferred schools, are ill or even dropped out.
Students who have an excused absence on count day have 30 days to return in order to be officially counted. Students with unexcused absences have 10 days to return, otherwise they’re not officially counted.
Districts have 30 days to audit and formalize their counts.
On paper, each new student means an additional $7,557 per pupil in state funding for the district. This is called the foundation grant.
Under Proposal A, the 1994 voter-approved constitutional amendment by which Michigan schools are funded, the only way school districts can avoid deficits and increase their revenue is through growing enrollment. It’s a simple formula ? more students equal more money.
‘The foundation grant does not keep up with inflation at all,? Skilling explained. ‘Any year that you don’t have enrollment growth, you’re in deficit spending, automatically, unless you make cuts.?
‘The only thing that really enables a district to not only maintain the quality of the programs they have currently, but also to enhance them is through student growth. That’s what Proposal A was designed to do.?
Having an unofficial count that’s up 44 students is really good news considering the district conservatively estimated its enrollment would be down eight students, based on kindergarten registrations back in March, and budgeted accordingly for the 2008-09 school year.
‘Budget-wise that puts us to the good by 52 (students),? Skilling said.
And the student body’s not finished growing.
‘We know we have some more coming in,? Skilling said. ‘We had a student enroll (Friday).?
Skilling attributed the increasing enrollment to students outside the district taking advantage of the ‘schools of choice? program and new families moving into the area.
All those low-priced homes and foreclosures are starting to sell, which means more students.
‘I was talking to one local Realtor and she said she was having her best year,? Skilling said.
However, by the same token, Skilling said the district has ‘lost quite a few families? that had to leave the state for jobs out west and down south.
The only bit of disappointing news in this story comes from the politics state legislators play with school funding.
As it stands right now, Oxford is supposed to receive a $106 increase in its state foundation grant, from last year’s $7,451 to this year’s $7,557.
But Skilling said the $106 increase was only an election year ploy to get votes and it will be nixed next year.
‘They can’t go on their campaigns after cutting schools,? he said. ‘We’re anticipating the state will take that money back after the elections. We expect to lose all of it.?
Skilling noted the state did the same thing in the last two election cycles.
When Skilling spoke to state Rep. Jim Marleau (R-Lake Orion) in August 2007, the legislator told him he was recommending to all the superintendents in the 46th House district to not budget for any increases because the state will ‘probably end up taking it all back.?
As a result, Oxford did its budgeting based on last year’s $7,451 per student.
‘Unless something changes, that’s what we’re expecting,? Skilling said.