Background: Each year, the Virginia Department of Education collects statistics on the number of students enrolled in public school on September 30th. This report is submitted by each school in Virginia which offically enrolls students (i.e. student records are maintained on a Virginia Teacher's Register or automated system). Student counts are reported by grade assignment and ethnicity. Excluded from the September 30th count are Special education preschool pupils, Head Start pupils, and pupils in hospitals, clinics or detention homes, and local programs such as vocational and alternative education centers (i.e. centers or schools which receive, but do not officially enroll students).

Definitions: The five Federal racial/ethnic categories are as follows: American Indian or Alaskan native - a person having origins (ancestry) in any of the original peoples of North America, who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition. Asian or Pacific Islander - a person having origins (ancestry) in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asian, the Pacific Islands, or the Indian subcontinent. Included, for example, are peoples of China, Korea, the Philippine Islands, Samoa, and India. Black, not of Hispanic origin - a person having origins (ancestry) in any of the black racial groups of Africa. Hispanic - a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin (ancestry), regardless of race. White, not of Hispanic origin - a person have origins (ancestry) in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East.

The following abbreviations are used in the 1996 Fall Membership reports: PK - Pre-Kindergarten (non Federally funded), KG - Kindergarten, PG - Post Graduate, UG - Ungraded.

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