Detroit enrollment declines, but surpasses budget projections

From The Detroit News: Detroit school district officials say they have achieved their enrollment goals for 2011-12 and credit an intense campaign to get kids signed up and in class on time. The district had 65,971 students enrolled as of Oct. 19; that represents a 9.7 percent decrease from the last school year, but is 137 students more than district officials projected in its budget for this school year.

SEPTEMBER 2011...from The Detroit News: Attendance in Detroit Public Schools is rising toward the district's projected enrollment of more than 65,000 students. District spokesman Steve Wasko says attendance counts Monday recorded 55,838 students, up from 43,000 the first day of classes last week. EARLIER...from The Detroit Free Press: About 54 percent of the students enrolled in Detroit Public Schools attended the first day of school this week – a rate that still was better than last year's. The district needs about 66,000 students or more in seats by Oct. 5, when the official statewide count is taken, to meet its budget projections and avoid more cuts. District emergency manager Roy Roberts says attendance on the first day was 43,660 students – 54 percent of the 79,611 students in the district's database.