Michigan public schools across the state are taking attendance a little more seriously Wednesday.
It's Fall Count Day, the annual student enrollment count that plays a major role in determining how much state funding school districts receive. Michigan's funding formula is based on a blend of student counts, with the fall count accounting for 90% of the calculation and a second count in February making up the remaining 10%.
According to Senate Fiscal Agency, public schools receive $10,300 per pupil.
Robin Pizzo, director of education at WKAR and a former teacher, said Count Day has long been an important date for schools.
"School count day is when the state funding is decided upon for each school district," Pizzo said. "So when students come in, we count those children, and that determines the amount of state funding per pupil that will be provided for that school district."
The official Fall Count Day is held on the first Wednesday in October, which falls on Oct. 7 this year. School districts spend weeks encouraging attendance and preparing attendance records to ensure students are properly counted.
Pizzo said schools work hard to make sure students are accounted for, even when absences occur.
"Please make sure your child is coming, even if they're tardy." Pizzo added.
Michigan schools can still count some students who are absent on Count Day if attendance and documentation requirements are met in the weeks that follow.
This year's count comes at a time when many districts continue to face enrollment challenges. Statewide public-school enrollment has declined over the past two decades, making enrollment counts especially important for district budgets.
Pizzo said Count Day is important because it helps determine the financial resources available to schools.
"It is what it is the way that defines the financial support that that school needs to be able to provide the best in quality education that they can," she said.
Still, Pizzo emphasized that attendance matters beyond a single day.
"Attendance is a priority for all children every day," she said. "Every day is really really important for those children to be in classrooms on time because it will make a tremendous impact on their overall academic growth and achievement and proficiency in everything from literacy to math to social emotional development and growth."