The State of Indiana provides financial support for local schools based on the number of students reported in each school district throughout the state. Indiana has what is called the “Average Daily Membership” (ADM) count which is used by state officials to pass out money to local school corporations.
The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools ADM count for this school year, as recorded by a head count of students conducted last Friday, shows a total of 21,794. Students in kindergarten through 12th grade are up a total of 273 over the previous school year.
HSE’s Chief Financial Officer Mike Reuter provided board members with the following student population breakdown during a Tuesday morning work session:
- For kindergarten through fourth grade, the student count is up 5.
- The total number of first graders is 1,550.
- In grades 5 and 6, the student count is down by 2.
- The freshman and sophomore classes are the largest entering high school this year.
- The count of freshman students is 1,786.
- The number of junior high students increased by 20.
- High school seniors outnumber the junior class.
- The total number of high school students is up by 245.
Reuter told the board that student population is “stabilizing.” The number of kindergartners entering HSE this school year exceeded 1,500, compared to last year’s kindergarten ADM population of 1,476.
“We opened Southeastern (Elementary) and I know it feels like we just grew and grew, and we did grow out there, more than we’d hoped to,” Reuter told board members. “But it’s because of their kindergarten class. It’s just completely off the charts compared to (Southeastern Elementary’s) other grade levels.”
HSE administrators have shared the ADM figures with the district’s demographer Jerry McKibben and expects fresh future enrollment projections by November.
Reuter also provided board members with an early overview of the 2020 school district budget. No overall budget number was available because Reuter is still processing the numerous sources of revenue and the wide range of expected costs for calendar year 2020.
The public hearing on the 2020 school corporation proposed budget will be held Oct. 9, with final budget approval by the board expected at the Oct. 23 board meeting.