September 2003 Pupil Count - PI 1563 Information

Date: August 28, 2003

To: School District Administrators

From: David Carlson, Director
School Financial Services Team

Re: September Pupil Count Report - PI 1563 Information
Foster/Group Home Membership Adjustments
Chapter 220 Integration Transfer Reports
PI 1505 Full Financial Annual Report and Unresolved Contracts
Upcoming Mailings and Important Dates

September Pupil Count Report - PI 1563 Information

Please route the following information to the individual(s) who complete the September Pupil Count Report, PI 1563, for your district. The pupil count date is Friday, September 19, and the report is due Friday, October 3.

The PI 1563 Internet Pupil Count Report has been redesigned so as to more accurately identify the types of pupils that can and cannot be counted for revenue limit and equalization aid purposes. With the growth of learning options for students, counting students correctly has become more difficult. To assist district staff with the requirements of the revised report, general instructions and a worksheet have been developed and are now posted on the team's web site at dpi.wi.us/sfs/doc/guidelinesforcounting.doc and dpi.wi.us/sfs/xls/pi1563_worksheet.xls. These resources are also located under "Late Breaking News" on the team's web site. The team encourages district staff responsible for the PI 1563 report to review the general instructions and the worksheet as they reflect the steps districts will follow to report students on the revised PI 1563 report.

The current report is a table that district staff completes by filling in the number of students in the eligible count categories. The new report takes a different approach. Using a "wizard" strategy, the revised PI 1563 will "walk" district staff through a step by step reporting process.

District staff will begin by reporting all students physically attending the schools of the district regardless of whether or not they are residents. The first count of the new report is a physical head count on the count date of all pupils in attendance.

The next step will be to adjust that count by adding students who were absent on the count date but have returned for instruction after the count date. Note that for 2003, districts will have two weeks instead of one week to submit the report. Additionally, after the report has been submitted, districts are allowed to enter the program at a later date to amend pupil count data.

The third step will be to subtract those students who are attending the district programs but are ineligible to be counted. Some examples of these types of students are: non-resident open enrollment students, tuition students, and CESA program students. The wizard will walk district staff through each kind or type of student that should not be counted. District staff will enter the number of these types of students onto the report by program category.

The fourth step will be to add in district resident students who are attending educational programs elsewhere. Some examples of these kinds of students attending other programs are: open enrollment, tuition, CESA program, Youth Challenge Academy, and alternative programs. Again, the wizard will walk district staff through each type of student that can be counted. District staff will enter the number of these types of students onto the report by program category.

The revised report will automatically adjust the entered pupil count data such that only those students eligible to be counted will be identified. It should be noted that the wizard will also walk district staff through the calculation of fte (full time equivalencies) for students participating in such programs as part time attendance under s. 118.145(4) Wis. Stats. District staff will be able to print reports of each type of student that is either added or subtracted and staff will view a table comparing the current September pupil count data with the previous year September pupil count data.

Pupil Count Amendments

Districts wishing to amend their pupil count after the October 3 due date should log on to the Internet reporting program and make the changes. The department's pupil count database will automatically be updated and an audit trail will be created reflecting the date and time of the submitted changes. Districts are required to print and keep on file a paper copy of the original submission and any amendments.

If your district is unable to hold school on September 19, a request for an alternative pupil count date must be submitted to the State Superintendent (s. 121.05(3) Wis. Stats). Address your request to Delores Butler, School Financial Services Team by e-mail at molly.koranda@dpi.wi.gov. Please specify the alternative date that you are requesting. In most circumstances, the date should be either the Thursday before or the Monday after the Friday count date.

Group and Foster Home Adjustment

Included in this mailing are printouts for specific districts showing the adjustments in the 2002-2003 membership for group and foster home students authorized by Wisconsin Statute 121.05(4). Those districts that did not participate or did not experience a membership adjustment due to group or foster home students will not receive a printout in this mailing. Line B of the printout indicates the number of additional days claimed by the reporting district who filed the PI 1589. Lines D and E reflect the calculation of days lost when a group or foster home student who was counted for membership leaves the district. Line F shows the net days lost or gained due to group or foster home students. Line G converts the net days on Line F to FTE and represents the district's membership adjustment for 2002 - 2003. This adjustment affects only the general aid membership used to calculate 2003-2004 general aid; it has no effect on the district's revenue limit calculation. Contact Jerry Landmark, by telephone at (608) 267-9209 or by e-mail at jerome.landmark@dpi.wi.gov should the district have questions.

Chapter 220 Integration Transfer Reports

The Interdistrict Integration Transfer (PI-1541) and the Intradistrict Integration Transfer (PI 1542) financial reports are due on October 15 as required by s.121.87 Wis.Stats. The report forms are on the School Financial Services Team web site at dpi.wi.us/sfs/index.html. Select the left hand scan bar link, "PI Forms" to access the forms for reporting this information to the department.

PI 1505 Full Financial Annual Report and Unresolved Contracts

The district's 2002-2003 Annual Report (PI 1505 AC and PI 1505) can include payroll and related benefit costs only to the extent that they are associated with implemented bargaining agreements or an implemented Qualified Economic Offer (QEO). Implementation must occur by the October 1 following the June 30 fiscal year end (Wisconsin State Statute 120.18(1) (gm).

If the district and an employee bargaining unit does not have an implemented agreement, the recording of any increased costs above the most recent agreement is limited to the lower of the district's or bargaining unit's final offers submitted under the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission (WERC) binding arbitration rules.

If a change in employee contract status occurs after report filing, but prior to October 1, contact Dennis Hanson, Auditor, immediately by telephone at (608) 267-9212 or by e-mail at dennis.hanson@dpi.wi.gov. The department will use the estimated additional settlement cost in determining the district's October 15 certified aid amount.

Upcoming Mailings and Important Dates

Date Event
August 29 PI 1505 AC Completion Due Date
September 5 PI 1505 SE Annual Report Completion Due Date
September 12 PI 1506 AC Completion Due Date (Auditors)
September 15 September Aid Payment
September 19 Third Friday Pupil Count Date
September 22 Preliminary Aid Estimate
October 1 PI 1505 Full Financial Annual Report Due
October 2 Tentative Mailing of 2003 Tax Apportionment Values
October 3 PI 1563 Pupil Count Report Due
October 15 Certification of 2003-2004 Aid Eligibility
PI 1541 and PI 1542 Integration Program Reports Due

Please contact one of the following School Financial Services Team consultants should you have questions:

Brad Adams	(608) 267-3752	bradley.adams@dpi.wi.gov
Karen Kucharz	(608) 267-9707	karen.kucharz@dpi.wi.gov

Enc: Foster/Group Home Aid Membership Adjustment Memo (Some Districts) Foster/Group Home Membership Adjustment Detailed Summary (Some Districts)

For questions about this information, contact dpifin@dpi.wi.gov (608) 267-9114

Last updated on 2/25/2008 12:03:49 PM