WATERLOO - Waterloo Community Schools has fewer students than a year ago, although the district may be on track to surpass its projected enrollment.

Officials said 9,897 students were enrolled as of Tuesday, the fourth day of classes. That is 45 fewer students than the 9,942 enrolled when an initial count was taken on the eighth day of classes last year, the Tuesday after Labor Day. There were 4,753 students at the elementary schools, 2,253 at the middle schools and 2,891 at the high schools.

If past experience is any indication, the number of students attending district schools by the official enrollment count on Oct. 1 could be higher than the 10,042 predicted by administrators. The official count will be certified with the state to determine per pupil funding levels for next year.

"We know that historically our fourth- or fifth-day count has been running around anywhere from 95 to 98 percent of our ultimate certified enrollment," said district spokeswoman Sharon Miller.

If the fourth day count was at 95 percent of the ultimate certified enrollment, that would come to approximately 10,391 pupils. If at 98 percent, that would come to 10,095. Either number would fall below last year's certified enrollment - by 340 students if the district is at the 95 percent level and 636 if it's at the 98 percent level.

More students than expected are already attending the district's 12 elementary schools. Miller noted officials had projected an enrollment of 4,652, 101 less students than are attending. Officials projected 2,319 middle school students, 66 more than are attending, and 3,071 high schools students, 180 more than are attending.

Although it's difficult to predict the district's official enrollment at this point, Miller said one thing is certain: "More students will be present in our classes and our enrollment will continue to grow in coming weeks." Comparing this fall's initial count to 2008, more students are enrolled at the elementary and middle school levels while fewer are at the high schools.

District elementary schools had 122 more students than last year. Enrollment dropped between five and 35 students at three schools, was the same at one school and was up between 11 and 34 students at eight schools.

The middle schools had 32 more students, with enrollment down at all buildings except George Washington Carver Academy, which gained 77 students. The high schools were down 199 students, with Expo the only one showing a gain.

In addition, the Waterloo Educational and Behavioral Center opened with 36 students at the former Longfellow Elementary School. The center replaces the Four Oaks program, which the district contracted with to provide services. In addition, GRAD Connection is located at the center.

CORRECTION:

The story incorrectly compared Waterloo Community Schools' 2008-09 certified budget enrollment to projections for in-building enrollment on Oct. 1, when a final count is taken this year. Based on a comparison of in-building enrollments, officials believe as of Oct. 1 the number of students in the district will be higher than last year's 10,069 enrollment, ranging from 10,095 to 10,391. This does not change the fact that an initial student count Tuesday was lower than last year, as in reported in the story.