GRPS loses fewer students than expected

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Wednesday was Count Day across the state of Michigan -- the day when the state tallies up who is at what school and figures out how much state aid funding each district will get. But this year, a new state law means even if a district gets the money on Count Day, they don't necessarily get to keep it.  

At West Michigan's largest school district, Grand Rapids Public Schools, enrollment has been declining for years. Since each state means nearly $7,000 in state aid, that means less state money.

This year, district officials thought they would lose about 600 students across the district. But after this Count Day, it looks like the district will lose closer to 400 -- something district officials are attributing to people getting the word out about count day, and the new superintendent.  

"I travel to other schools and I see our facilities aren't as nice as theirs. Our supplies aren't what they get. So I want us to get all the money, so I encouraged other people to come, too," said Creston senior Ana Arevizu. "I went to a conference meeting and I know one school had, like, they gave their students iPads. And I mean we get paper so I want us to have money to continue at least having paper."

Arevizu and fellow Creston senior Keshari Morrison said they made an extra effort to come to school Wednesday because teachers here and the principal made it clear funding depended on it.

But there was another reason, too:

"I pretty much come to school every day, but today is Count Day and we did want to get our free senior pictures, so that's a big reason I came to school on time today," said Morrison.

Special activities were offered across the district -- including those free senior pictures. But GRPS spokesperson John Helmholdt said that's not a bribe.

Helmholdt said the district wants to make sure it gets all the funding it's due -- just like every other district across the state.  

"A lot of these activities, schools districts across the state do similar fun activities," he said. "Have a little bit of faith and understanding that we are absolutely focused."

To get and keep state aid will entail something different this year.  

"The same amount of money goes out," said State Sen. John Papageorge (R-Troy). "The question is, what address do you put on the check?"

Papageorge told 24 Hour News 8 over the phone that the new law means the money follows the student. So, for example, if a student leaves one district a half-year after Count Day and enter another, the student's new district will get half the state money -- and the original district loses it.

"Now they're using half-a year to the next town," Papageorge said. "It's not fair."

GRPS said it's cautiously optimistic of the new law, but point out potential difficulties such as how districts have to plan their budgets the year before based on state aid they think they'll get, and also how the state will keep track of student transfers on a regular basis.  

"This would be a paradigm shift but it could also be some significantly counting challenges for a large district like ours with a high percentage of absenteeism and a highly transient population," Helmholdt said.

Officials from the Michigan Department of Education said each school that gains a student is supposed to contact Lansing, and then the school the student left will be contacted to confirm the departure. 

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Online:

Michigan legislature on the funding per pupil rules