Allotted average daily membership (ADM) determines North Carolina public school funding levels. It is based on either projected or actual prior year ADM, whichever is higher. ADM has declined in recent years due to lower birth rates, increased homeschooling and charter schools. The COVID-19 pandemic further reduced ADM in 2020-2021, with over 50,000 fewer students. This led more districts to be funded based on projections rather than actual enrollment figures, creating budget uncertainty for the coming years.

1. Allotted Average Daily
Membership
Alexis Schauss
February 2021

2. Allotted Average Daily Membership (ADM)
Allotted ADM is the backbone of the State Public
School Fund and the driver of individual public
school unit local, state and federal budget.
It affects the budgeting of everything in the public
school - student school assignment, capital
projects, the number of teachers, instructional
support, teacher assistants and other personnel
needed, bus routes and instructional resources.
2

3. Allotted ADM
SBE policy Allotted ADM is determined for each LEA as:
The higher of -
• Projected ADM for the budget year or
• Actual higher ADM of the first two months in the
prior year
3

4. 4
Allotted Average Daily Membership
1,258,607
1,274,326
1,306,153
1,321,203
1,345,469
1,369,493
1,405,455
1,430,848
1,441,872
1,426,792
1,434,436
1,436,162
1,443,998
1,456,330
1,456,119
1,459,852
1,454,290
1,450,949
1,444,537
1,434,153
10,263
14,230
19,832
21,603
23,138
27,029
29,170
30,892
34,694
38,122
41,232 44,829
48,795
53,655
64,186
77,791
89,228
101,689
111,604
121,231
1,000,000
1,050,000
1,100,000
1,150,000
1,200,000
1,250,000
1,300,000
1,350,000
1,400,000
1,450,000
1,500,000
1,550,000
1,600,000
2000 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019
LEA Charter & Other

5. Decline in the birth rate
Decline in population ages 5-17
5

6. Division of School Business
-5,000
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028 2030 2032 2034 2036 2038
-
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
1,400,000
1,600,000
1,800,000
2,000,000
Change in the Population in Ages 5 - 17, 2000-2038
Annual Change (Left) Population (Right)
Source: NC OSBM, 2000-2017 Population Estimates and 2018-2038 Population Projections. Population as of July 1.

7. Increase in homeschools
7

8. Numbers of Private, Homeschool and Public Charter School Students
Division of School Business

9. Increase in the number of charter schools and
the size of the charter schools.
9

10. FY 2011 - 2012
FY 2014 - 2015
Percentage of Public School
Students in Membership in
Charter Schools
FY 2019 - 2020
Division of School Business
Source: Reported by LEAs. Represents the number of charter schools students residing in the
LEA and in membership in a charter school in the state.

11. 11
Impact on allotted ADM in Local Education
Agencies

12. Change between 2003-04 and 2008-09
Change between 2008-09 and 2013-14
Change in LEA
Average Daily Membership
(ADM)
Change between 2013-14 and 2018-19
Division of School Business
Source: Actual ADM higher of Month 1 and 2

13. 13
Historical Projection Accuracy

14. 14

15. Allotted ADM
SBE policy Allotted ADM is determined for LEAs as:
The higher of -
• Projected ADM for the current year or
• Higher of the first two months prior year ADM.
15

16. 2020 COVID -19
16

17. 2020 COVID -19
17
1,280,000
1,300,000
1,320,000
1,340,000
1,360,000
1,380,000
1,400,000
1,420,000
1,440,000
1,460,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
#
Students
Year
Total LEA Average Daily Membership, 2004-2023

18. Change in ADM by Grade- Higher of Months 1 and 2 in 2019-20 and 2020-21
18
Note: Month1 and 2 reflect the first 2 months of the school year. Membership changes each
month
Total decrease 50,154 ADM
Total decrease 50,154 ADM

19. Impact on Allotted ADM
Number of LEAs initially funded based on
projections
2020-21 41 LEAs
2021-22 108 LEAs
19

20. Budget Impact of Reliance on Projections
With almost all LEAs funded based on the
projection:
Majority of LEAs will see a decline in their allotted
ADM
More LEAs may need an adjustment to their
allotments based on 2022 actual
20

21. Uncertainty about ADM
• % returning to each LEA in 2022
• Impact on the ADM distribution by grade
• Impact due to new LEA virtual learning
options
21