ADM Counts Vary at Local Schools

 
 
The Average Daily Membership, or ADM, count was taken at every school in the state on Friday, Sept. 13. Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa said the corporation was down 31 students from the same point last year and 19.5 students down from the projected DOE tuition page. Last Friday’s total came to 1,850.5 students. Kindergarten students are counted as a half-student.

“In this particular year, the elementary was up one student compared to last year. The middle school was down 14 and the high school was down 18,” reported Gappa. “Last year the middle school was up three. It varies from year to year in the class sizes. With the money following the students and open enrollment, it has changed things a little bit more.”

West Central School Superintendent Charles Mellon also saw a steep slump in enrollment at his corporation.

“We lost about 30 students,” said Mellon. “We were at 833 last year and we were at 806.46 this year which is about $164,000 less money we will be receiving this year. Of course we were in deficit spending last year so that doesn’t help.”

On the other hand, Oregon-Davis saw an increase in enrollment, according to Oregon-Davis Interim Superintendent Greg Briles.

“We are currently at 610. We were projected in March to be at 570. We are very pleased with our enrollment right now,” stated Briles.

Eastern Pulaski School Superintendent Dan Foster also had a healthy enrollment count.

“We gained 44 students over last year,” said Foster. “Last year the ADM was 1190 and this year it’s 1234. We’re feeling very fortunate and very blessed to be in that position right now, especially the way the funding flows.”

Another student count will be held in February, but statistics show that number is usually lower than the start of the school year.