Enrollment in Manatee County Schools has increased by more than 1,000 students, according to the annual 5-day count the district takes at the end of the first week of school.
That represents more than a 2 percent increase in student enrollment.
This year’s 5-Day Count for all Manatee District schools, taken last Friday, was 46,807 students. That’s 1,007 students more than last year’s student count of 45,800 taken during the same time period.
“These numbers confirm what I have been hearing from many principals and our executive directors: that our student counts are significantly up in our schools,” Superintendent Rick Mills said. “It’s a positive sign for our district and community that our student population continues to show steady and healthy growth.”
The school district takes students counts on the fifth and 10th days of school. If growth is heavier in some areas of the county, or in specific schools, teachers and other resources can be shifted.
School districts across Florida also take annual student counts in October and February that are used to determine the number of students in each district for the purposes of state funding. Fluctuations in student populations are a regular occurrence as families move in and out of the state, or move from one county to another.