Count Day Shows Slight Enrollment Dip

Preliminary "Count Day" numbers Wednesday showed a slight enrollment dip at Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) from 2014 to 2015. The number of full-time equivalent students - including students who receive only part-time instruction - decreased from 10,001 in 2014 to an estimated 9,895 this year. Wednesday's Count Day determines 90 percent of the state funding the district will receive, while 10 percent comes from a February Count Day.

Enrollment numbers do reflect some positive trends: Both West and East Middle School saw increases over last October of 28 students each. Traverse City High, Central Grade, Cherry Knoll, Montessori @ Glenn Loomis and Old Mission also saw increases ranging from 3 to 26 students. Schools with the largest decreases in students included Central High (-71), Blair (-37), Courtade (-24), Eastern (-20) and Interlochen (-18).

TCAPS receive $7,391 per student in funding this year. Final student count numbers will be submitted to the state in November.