“Count Day” for Local Schools

Today is a critical attendance day for our public school districts. 

Known as “Count Day,” this is the day on which attendance is measured to determine the student count on which next year’s per-pupil funding will be based.

Each student in a district that is not included in today’s count will cost their district more than $9,000. There are mechanisms for including students with excused absences. There is also a second count day in February, but the average of the two is heavily weighted toward today.

This year’s count is complicated because many Jewish students will miss class to observe Yom Kippur. Some districts in the Detroit area close for the holiday, and will be allowed to count tomorrow. State law, however, does not allow the count to be set for another day for schools that are in session.