A handful of school districts in Livingston County reported a slight enrollment decrease following Count Day on Feb. 11 — based on preliminary results.
Count Day is used to measure enrollment and, in turn, how much funding a district receives from the state. That funding is determined using counts in October (90%) and February (10%).
Under the 2025-26 state budget, per-pupil funding is set at $10,050 per student — an increase of $442 over 2024-25. Schools with an enrollment increase, or at least an enrollment higher than officials projected, will see a funding boost.
Students previously enrolled but not in attendance Feb. 11 can still be counted, so long as they attend school within 10 days of an unexcused absence or within 30 days of an excused absence. For that reason, numbers often improve from preliminary counts.
How did local districts perform on Count Day?
Brighton Area Schools counted roughly 13 fewer students than last fall, according to Superintendent Matthew Outlaw. The district gained seven elementary students and six intermediate students, but is down four middle schoolers and 22 high schoolers. The district will have more precise numbers in March, Outlaw said.
Fowlerville Community Schools reported roughly 2,242 full-time students, slightly down from 2,250 in the fall —according to Superintendent Matthew Stuard.
Hartland Consolidated Schools increased by one student from the fall — rising from 4,929 to 4,930, according to Superintendent Chuck Hughes, who called the numbers “good news” since HCS usually sees a decrease in the spring.
Howell Public Schools is still finalizing the spring count number, according to Director of Communications Tom Gould.
“We are continuing to account for students who may have been absent on Count Day,” Gould wrote in a statement. “At this time, we do not anticipate a significant change from our fall enrollment numbers.”
Pinckney Community Schools reported a spring count of 1,961 — down 22 students from a fall count of 1,983, according to Superintendent Rick Todd.
— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on X @SalsaEvan.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: These districts in Livingston County saw decreases on Count Day
Reporting by Evan Sasiela, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
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