Public schools in Leelanau County reported last week stable student count numbers for the spring. The numbers are similar to those reported in the fall headcount, with little to no changes as districts near the end of the current academic year.
Count information is critical for districts like Suttons Bay Public School, which is considered the only “in-formula” school in the county, and receives state funds on a per pupil amount. Suttons Bay, like other in-formula schools, receives $9,608 for each student in the 2023-24 school year. The district, which is the second largest in the county, is able to generate approximately $5.5 million in revenue due to its “informula” status. This accounts for about 62% of the school’s total revenue. The count days and school fundings are mandated through the State School Aid Act.
Suttons Bay’s spring in-seat and virtual headcount is 575 with 16 Great Start Readiness Program (GRSP) students, which is just one student less than the fall count of 576. The virtual student headcount saw an increase this spring to 196 from 180.
“The (virtual) enrollment is up a bit from the fall of 2023, but in general, we have been between 175 and 200,” said Suttons Bay Superintendent Casey Petz. “Our plan is to keep this number stable in that range from year to year.”
The calculation schools receive are based on a blend of both spring and fall student count (membership) data. The blend is based on the prior school year’s spring count, and the current school year’s fall count. Spring counts occur on the second Wednesday in February and represent 10% of state funding. Fall counts occur on the first Wednesday in October and represent 90% of state funding.
At Glen Lake Community Schools, the largest county public school, 752 students were reported in the headcount this spring, up two from the fall’s 750 count. The high school count is 204 students, down from the fall’s 210 total, and the middle school count is 172, down by one student. However, the elementary saw a slight increase, going to 332 this year from 325, as well as the preschool count from 42 to 44 kids.
Leland Public School reported approximately 431 students this spring headcount, which is just slightly less than 435 in the fall. Stephanie Long, Leland superintendent, said they utilize their count information to start to determine the number of sections they will offer next year based on the number of students in each cohort. Once the headcount is determined, she said then they start to build next year’s schedule.
At Northport Public School, the district with the least student population in the county, the spring headcount came in at 127, down one by the fall’s total of 126.
