Student enrollment numbers please district

Edmonds School District officials can relax now knowing that the projected enrollment numbers for the 2004-05 school year were very close to accurate, and only minor adjustments in staffing and students will be required.

“We’re exceptionally pleased with the numbers,” said district spokesperson Debbie Jakala.

This year’s budget projected 19,550 full-time equivalent (FTE) students, and the fourth-day count conducted last week gave the district an actual FTE of 19,781. The FTE number takes into account students who attend only partial days, including kindergarteners and running start students, and mathematically combines these part-time students into full time, giving the district the number of full-time equivalent students. In terms of raw numbers of students in Edmonds schools this year, the fourth-day count is 20,678, while the projected number was 20,715. That gives the district a difference of 37 students.

“With a district our size, our prediction is pretty accurate,” Jakala said.

The grade level in which the projected and actual numbers differed the most was in kindergarten classes. To maintain proper ratios, some students may have to be shuttled to different buildings.

“We want to make sure we have the ideal,” Jakala said, so the district will first try to avoid shuttling when possible.

She said the district makes it a priority to maintain good communication between families, teachers and schools so that any adjustments will go smoothly. Any changes will be in the best interest of the students and families, and the changes will be in place by Sept. 21, Jakala said.

The fourth-day counts conducted by school districts are important for budgetary reasons as well. Making an accurate prediction benefits the schools in that budget shifts would be minimal, if necessary. It is when fourth-day counts differ greatly from projected counts that districts can have problems.

“We’re in a fiscally positive situation,” Jakala said.