ELPS Finance Director Reports unexpected Increase in Student Count

Present: Superintendent Robyne Thompson, Kate Powers, Nell Kuhnmuench, Kath Edsall, Karen Hoene, Hillary Henderson.

Absent: Yasmina Bouraoui, Erin Graham.

East Lansing Public Schools’ student body has continued to grow this year but for only the fourth time in 25 years, its residential population grew as well as its out-of-district students.

Richard Pugh, Director of Finance for East Lansing Public Schools, told the Board of Education Monday night that the fall student counts showed a student population of 3,626 students, an increase of 117 students from the 2014-2015 academic year.

This is 54 more students that the district had planned for, Pugh said.“Overall, it is positive,” he told the board. “We are above what we projected so that is positive news for the budget.”

Most of the increase occurred in the elementary schools and MacDonald Middle School. East Lansing High School actually lost one student, Pugh said.

The most surprising news was the increase in students who live within the boundaries of East Lansing schools. The addition of 45 students from within the district marks only the fourth time in 25 years that the residential population increased, Pugh said.

Non-residential students increased by 72 students meaning that students who enter East Lansing under the “Schools of Choice” law now account for 22.8 percent of the student body. In addition to the School of Choice students, non-residential students also include those students who come to the district through other means, such as being the child of an employee or a student at a non-public school which has a contract with ELPS.

In addition to Pugh’s report, the board heard a presentation from the Minority Student Achievement Network, a student organization at East Lansing High School that is working to “cross bridges and jumpstart community dialogue” in schools. Specifically, the student group told the board they were working on changing the discipline system in the high school, which they say treats minority students unfairly. Instead of discipline, the students hope the school would focus more on intervention.

The group has created a film that teaches incoming freshmen about inappropriate behavior in high school and hopes to make a similar film for younger children. In the future, they hope to hold a student assembly on educational disparity followed by classroom discussions.

In other business, the board:

• Clarified their policy that public comments were welcome at all board committee meetings. Board President Nell Kuhnmuench said she had thought no public comment was allowed but a “pretty tenacious member of the public” led them to seek legal opinions and review their official policy. They found that “the policy is that public comment is always welcome,” she said.
• Approved contracts with GMB Architecture and Engineering as well as Clark Construction Company for potential elementary bond project. Details on the project were not provided.
• Purchased $28,127 worth of snow removal equipment.