MILTON Milton Superintendent Rich Dahman reported a steady enrollment to his school board Monday after totals were reported to the state in September.
School districts across the state are required to report enrollment numbers to the Wisconsin Department of Instruction on the third Friday of September.
Total enrollment on the third Friday in September was reported as 3,457 students, slightly up from 3,447 at the same time last year.
Thats extremely unusual these days. Most school districts are seeing declining enrollment, Dahman said, adding it has been an 8-year trend.
Its total adjusted headcount, however, is down. Total adjusted headcount takes into account resident students who live in the district boundaries, but dont necessarily attend district schools. The adjusted headcount is 3,390, down from 3,405. The districts full-time equivilancy was 3,309, down from 3,328. That number takes into account how in enrollment calculations four-year-old kindergarten students are considered 0.6 each.
The main reason why our enrollment is up and our FTE is down is because we have that large 4K class, Dahman said.
Dahman lauded enrollment numbers for 4K, saying it was one of the largest the district has had. At East Elementary, there were 65 students reported. At Harmony, there were 62 and at West there were 70.
Dahman also said open enrollment was a high point for the enrollment numbers, as it was a net positive for the district. There were 443 students open-enrolled in, compared to 381 open-enrolled out.
What it does is allow us to have more revenue to offer more programs for students, Dahman said. We are very much a destination district for families.
Milton is facing a trend that is also being felt throughout Wisconsin and throughout the nation. There were 257 seniors reported. Consolidated reported 19 kindergarteners. West reported 79. Harmony reported 46. East reported 64.
Thats a trend across the state and a trend across the country. Were graduating more seniors than we are bringing in kindergarteners, Dahman said.
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