Counting Pupils

Let's take a look at some of the factors involved in actually counting a pupil type student for FTE.

Here it is right out of the "Official" documentation.

   First (1 ) Wednesday in October
   Second (2 ) Wednesday in February*

*  For a district not in session on that day (any count date), the first day on 
    which the district is in session after the count date must be used.

To be counted for state aid, students must meet these requirements.

1. The pupil appropriately met the residency requirements. Refer to Pupil Residency, Section 4, of the manual. (The   district must verify residency status of any pupil it accepts.)
2. The pupil was five years of age on or before December 1 and less than 20 years of age on September 1 of the school year, except for a special education pupil... yada, yada, yada.
   (The local school district must verify birth dates of all pupils entering school for the first time. Birth dates may be verified through a variety of methods, including:
   -Birth certificate
   -Baptismal certificate (indicating date/place of  birth) 
   -Court records
   Governmental records (county, military, immigration)
   -Doctor or hospital records with sworn statement  -Family records (bible or passport)
   -Life insurance policy
3. The pupil was 16 years of age as of September 1 of the school year if the pupil was educated in an alternative education program where adult education participants were educated in the same program or classroom.
4. The pupil was enrolled in the local or intermediate school district on or before the specified count day.
5. A pupil who received instruction in some or all classes on the count day shall have their full-time equivalency (FTE) recorded as reflected by the hours of instruction in which they are enrolled. Conversely, a pupil who was enrolled but not in attendance in any class on the count day must meet one of the following criteria:
   a. The pupil had an authorized excused absence on the count day and attends some or all classes at least once within 30 calendar days of the count day.
   b. The pupil had an unexcused absence on the count day and was enrolled and in attendance prior to the count day and attends some or all classes at least once during the next 10 consecutive school days.

Learning Labs - an alternative education program that is operated as a learning lab must offer the minimum 180 day and 1,098 hours as is required of all K12 programs.

Eligibility requirements for counting alternative education pupils in learning center lab must meet the following:

a. The pupil must be enrolled in and attending courses that are earning credit toward a high school diploma or a GED certificate.(Note 1)

b. The pupil must be scheduled for a specified number of lab hours per week.

c. A certified teacher must be present at all times.

d. Attendance must be taken and documentation must be provided to ensure that the pupil is in fact attending the number of hours scheduled.

Due to the disposition of learning labs, the count period covers a week beginning on the Wednesday count day and continuing through Tuesday following the count day. A pupil must attend the minimum number of hours the pupil has been scheduled for during any given week. A daily or  weekly sign in and sign out sheet is necessary to document the actual number of hours per week that the pupil attended.

All that was referring to full-time pupils, as in a regular K-12 setting. Here's the poop on the pups in Alternative Ed.

We don't make this stuff up folks. To view the real Official documentation, click here. If you have questions, please consult with your district pupil accounting officer.