Enrollment numbers from the first few weeks of school are in, but they may change in a month, district officials say.

Officials at the Bainbridge Island School District presented a snapshot of enrollment rates at the district board meeting Sept 12. The numbers will determine BISD’s state funding apportionment for the upcoming month.

“Count Day” on Sept. 6 at BISD yielded about 3,398 students in attendance, just under the budgeted enrollment of 3,414. But the numbers aren’t set in stone yet, superintendent Amii Thompson and financial director Kim Knight said. State mandates require districts to perform a head count on the fourth day of school — which is still early enough that families may still be shuffling schools.

“Our budget compared to our actual enrollment in September looks like it is lower than it might actually be, because after Count Day in this first full week, had ten more students show up,” Thompson said. “While it’s awesome that we have more students, it’s actually really difficult in that we receive funding based off of who was actually in their seats on the fourth day.”

When the district conducts its next Count Day in October, actual enrollment will likely be down about seven students, Thompson added.

Special education enrollment numbers are also subject to change. The developmental preschool program started the year with only 18 students with a budget of 30, with the expectation that some preschoolers who struggle with speech impediments or require occupational therapy will switch to special education. Students who require learning assistance are included in the overall enrollment numbers, but their involvement in special education programs is recorded for state funding purposes.

Students aren’t the only population that the district must consider.

HB Harper, city planning manager, presented a summary of the Winslow Subarea Plan and city Comprehensive Plan Update to the school board as part of a push for equity in community feedback. While BI residents weigh the three proposed options for growth, the city is hosting a series of forums in each neighborhood to collect public input. The city is making an effort to get the word out about the forums at various levels of the BI community, including schools.

“We really want the City Council to hear from a wide variety of folks, to hear from the whole community. It’s really difficult to get people with kids to participate in these things, and I know why,” Harper said. “I am unavailable between four and seven p.m. every single day, while my children are at their most unmanageable before bedtime — so I’m very sympathetic.”

Childcare is provided at some of the forums, Harper added, saying she appreciates that the district has already issued some announcements about the Comp Plan in newsletters and other materials. She encouraged BISD officials to continue sharing information about the forums.

“We really want folks to attend because the community is a lot bigger than these events really see,” she said.