Despite the global pandemic changing how things are done in nearly every capacity, including tracking school enrollment, school districts across the Cadillac area held the second student count day Wednesday.
Even when it comes to COVID-19 relief funding for schools, there are winners and losers.
A recent Bridge Michigan analysis by Ron French found funds received and expected to be received by Michigan school districts in federal COVID relief can vary by more than 100-fold on a per-student basis.
Cumulative federal aid allocated to Michigan districts in two stimulus packages passed by Congress in 2020, totaling more than $1.8 billion, averages $1,272 per student. But Bridgeâs analysis found the per-pupil amounts ranged wildly, from $13,232 per student in Flint City School District to $69 per student in Northville Public Schools in Wayne County.
There are 189 school districts and charter schools receiving federal relief funds equivalent to more than $2,000 per student, and 41 getting less than $200 per student. The reason: School COVID relief funding that passed Congress in 2020 was tied to Title I guidelines, which provides funds to help low-income students, French reported.
9 & 10 News
December 18, 2020
53,000 fewer students enrolled in 2020 versus the previous school year.
While thousands have transitioned to homeschooling during this pandemic, some administrators worry others have fallen through the cracks. At least 13,000 kids are unaccounted for.
“It is concerning that kids are not enrolled in school,” said Mesick Consolidated Schools superintendent Scott Akom. “Parents are just not reporting their kids being homeschooled, or they have moved, and not enrolled their kid in another school district…it’s very concerning. Schools are a safe place for kids.”
Akom says their enrollment has been solid, but they’re noticing other worrying trends.
“We have seen a decrease in test scores and our teachers are working hard to fill those gaps,” said Akom.