This story was updated to give Milan Area Schools and Lincoln Consolidated Schools' unaudited enrollment numbers.

Some Washtenaw County school districts lost fewer students than anticipated as the numbers were calculated during count day today, signaling good news for their annual budgets.

Ypsilanti Public Schools, where 3,792 students attended school today, was among those posting unaudited, less-than-anticipated losses. District spokeswoman Emma Jackson said the district thought it might lose students when it was forced to close two schools, but was pleasantly surprised.

Haisley Elementary School first graders Grace Wang, left, and Julia Wyrot, try out their lockers on the first day earlier this month. Today was count day for local schools.

Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

“I’m presuming the decrease would have naturally happened with people moving and students going to other schools for a myriad of reasons,” Jackson said, pointing to the New Tech High School as one of the buzz-generating programs in the district. “We believe a lot of the programs we’re offering and the restructuring we’re doing is appealing to people.”

Wednesday was hugely important for districts around the state as they counted the total number of students. The count makes up about three-quarters of the state funding for districts, which is about $7,000 per student, varying by district.

Not all districts have yet calculated today's tally, including the largest district in the county.

Ann Arbor school district spokeswoman Liz Margolis said Ann Arbor’s count would be available Thursday at the earliest.

Chelsea Superintendent Dave Killips said his district is down 47 students, putting the unaudited count at 2,553 students. He said the district budgeted for a decrease of 50 students.

“We’re down to about 2,500,” Killips said at a school board meeting Monday. “We were at 3,000 eight or nine years ago. We only have 144 students at the kindergarten level.”

Milan Area Schools budgeted for a decrease of three students from the September 2009 count of 2,599, but Wednesday's count showed an increase of 75 students to 2,674, Superintendent Bryan Girbach reported.

Lincoln Consolidated Schools reported 4,700 students attending school yesterday, which is six more than were budgeted for, Superintendent Lynn Cleary reported. The district had 4,767 students in its Fall Count in 2009.

Saline Area Schools had budgeted for a loss of 60 students from the 5,484 total counted in 2009. However, when today was over, the unaudited count came back at 5,350 — a decrease of 134 students.

Steve Laatsch, assistant superintendent of instructional services, said the decrease was mainly due to a big graduating class of 469 students leaving the district, compared with a smaller kindergarten class of 357 moving up to first grade.

“We will need to examine our budget and determine the next steps,” Laatsch said. “In the end, our direct move up accounted for 112 of the total 134. Basically, this means we really didn’t lose many kids, we just didn’t replace many of the graduating class as we would have liked to.”

Whitmore Lake was another of the local districts to post a loss of students greater than what the district had budgeted for. Today's count registered 1,173 students, down from 1,205 in 2009.

Superintendent Kim Hart said the district had budgeted for a 1 percent decrease from 2009, translating into about 12 students.

“It appears to be the result of a lower birth rate — incoming kindergarten — and some parents’ ability to buy homes and move to less expensive areas,” Hart said in an e-mail.

Hart said the unexpected loss of revenue from fewer students will be offset by “proactive reductions” to the district’s budget made at the end of the last school year.

“That’s one reason why districts always have to cut more money than they think they might need to — so when the unexpected happens, you can maintain stability and consistency within your district in programming and services for kids,” she said.

Dexter Community Schools also reported an unexpected loss of students, dropping 23 students from last year to 3,619. Interim Superintendent Mary Marshall said the district had budgeted for no growth or loss during its budget process.

She said the losses came mostly at the kindergarten level, where the difference between this year and last year was more than 40 students.

"Unfortunately for budgeting cycles, which occur in June, we don't have precise numbers of kindergarten students, so fall count information is needed to accurately update our projections," she said.

Marshall said most other grade levels had gains compared to last year's count.

Manchester Community Schools didn't lose or gain any students from last year’s fall count day, reporting 1,238 students in the district. Superintendent Shawn Lewis-Lakin said the district had budgeted for a loss of 25 students, but due to staffing increases over the summer, the increased revenue from having more students will be offset.

Lewis-Lakin said the Manchester numbers reflect a decrease in migrant students offset by a rise in students from year-round families.

“I see this as a positive affirmation from families who recognize that Manchester and its schools are a great choice for those who value education and community,” Lewis-Lakin said.

Kyle Feldscher covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com.