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Enrolment & staffing · K-12 education statistics

Enrolment

The count of students registered in a school or district on a single reporting date.

Enrolment is the number of students on the rolls of a public school, district or state on a specified date in the school year — typically the first Monday in October. It is a headcount taken once, not an average across the year.

Because it is a point-in-time count, enrolment does not capture students who join or leave after the count date, and districts with high mobility can serve considerably more children over a full year than their enrolment figure suggests. Enrolment is nonetheless the denominator for most per-student measures, so a district whose count date fell oddly will show distorted ratios everywhere.

Also known as: student enrollment, school enrollment, membership.

See enrolment in the data

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Enrolment — FAQ

What is enrolment in school and district data?+

The count of students registered in a school or district on a single reporting date. Enrolment is the number of students on the rolls of a public school, district or state on a specified date in the school year — typically the first Monday in October. It is a headcount taken once, not an average across the year.

Why does enrolment matter?+

Because it is a point-in-time count, enrolment does not capture students who join or leave after the count date, and districts with high mobility can serve considerably more children over a full year than their enrolment figure suggests. Enrolment is nonetheless the denominator for most per-student measures, so a district whose count date fell oddly will show distorted ratios everywhere.

Where does this school and district data come from?+

Core statistics come from the National Center for Education Statistics — the Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Civil Rights Data Collection. The most recent graduation rates and state report-card outcomes come directly from state education agencies, which publish sooner than the federal series. pumsdata is independent and not affiliated with NCES or any state agency.

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