Count day for the 2020/21 school year has come and gone and Ottumwa has certified their enrollment figures with the State of Iowa.
Ottumwa's overall certified enrollment, a measure that considers all student counts and weightings on October 1 each year, is 4,782 students, an increase of 19.39 from the prior year. At the current per pupil funding rate of $7,048, this equates to a funding increase of over $136,000 for the coming year. This increase was in line with enrollment estimates and continues a trend of small annual increases to the district's certified count.
Net open enrollment out declined by 30 students, the first decrease of this figure in 10 years. We had 21 fewer students enroll out and 9 additional students enroll into the district. This shift will increase available revenue to the district by over $211,000 in the 2021/22 school year.
Enrollment growth of students designated as English Language Learners continued to rise, increasing to 660 students or a 6.6% increase. This population now represents approximately 15% of the total district population.
The one area where the district saw a decrease in enrollment was preschool students. The district's enrollment of four-year-old students declined by 32. This decline appears to be attributable to COVID, with over 50 families indicating they kept students home this year due to the pandemic. With this information, it appears likely that this decline will be a one-time event and not a trend into the future.
"Overall, very encouraging news on count day," said John Berg, Chief Financial Officer. "Our count included increases in students residing in the Ottumwa Schools boundaries and the number of students choosing our district over neighboring districts to receive their education."