Student enrollment slipped in both the Brandon and Goodrich school districts following student count day on Wednesday.
A change in enrollment means more or less for the schools, which receive per-pupil funding at about $7,200 per student.
In the Brandon School District, Belle Ann Elementary, Harvey-Swanson Elementary and Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School posted declines in enrollment, while H.T. Burt Elementary, Brandon Middle School and Brandon High School stayed about the same compared to February 2007.
‘There will be some belt-tightening as we prepare the new budget,? said Tom Miller, Brandon superintendent. ‘We are losing students and much of it is due to a very poor economy.?
In the Goodrich School District, Reid Elementary and Goodrich Middle School posted a decline in enrollment, while Oaktree Elementary increased students. The high school enrollment stayed the same.
Linda DeCamp, Goodrich Schools business manager, is concerned over the decline, however, says there is no immediate problem.
‘Compared to what is happening in other school districts, we are doing well. We are six students down from the fall, which equates to approximately $45,000,? she said.
‘The state as a whole is losing students and we are not exempt from being affected by that. However there are things we can do to be proactive and attract more students. Opening our border to School of Choice is one way to attract more students. We have a 1 percent cap, which means we can take 21 students from Genesee County schools.?
The money is dispensed by means of a blended count.
A blended count works by taking two student counts, one in September and another in February of the next year. Funds are decided based on a 75-25 percent formula, with 75 percent of the next school year’s money coming in based on September count and the remainder based upon the count done in February.