ADMINISTRATIVE

  Attached is information on the 1997 Fall Membership data
  collection.  This includes instructions, school checklist, 
  schedule and forms to complete the following:

      Fall Membership as of September 30, 1997 by
         School (SA.097)

      Projection of March 31 Average Daily Membership for School
         Years 1997-1998, 1998-1999, and 1999-2000 (Table II)

       Pupil/Teacher Ratios:  Standards of Quality
          No.1-G, Instructional Personnel, 1997-1998
          (Table III)

       Limited English Proficient Students, 1997-1998
          (Table IV)

       Number of Students Receiving Home Instruction,
          as of September 30, 1997 (Table V)

  All data must be received by the Fall Membership team on or
  before Wednesday, October 15, 1997.  Early submission is
  strongly encouraged.

  For additional information and assistance, you may contact
  L. Ande Johnson Mathews, at (804) 225-2947 or via e-mail at
  ajohnson@pen.k12.va.us.  To ensure prompt delivery, please
  return the forms to:

                1997-1998 Fall Membership Team
               Virginia Department of Education
                  P. O. Box 2120, 22nd Floor
                Richmond, Virginia  23218-2120



  RTL/dmb
  Attachments: A hard copy of this memo and its attachment
               will be sent to the superintendent's office.

  CC:   Fall Membership Coordinators 




        IMPORTANT CHANGES FOR 1997 FALL MEMBERSHIP

  Table III -- Pupil / Teacher Ratios, Standards of Quality
  has been redesigned to eliminate excess paper and arithmetic.
  Once Table III has been keyed, you will receive a facsimile
  of the ratio calculations.

  Table IV -- Limited English Proficient and Table V --
  Home Instruction / Religious Exemptions have been consolidated
  into one form.

                      SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

       1997 Fall Membership and Related Data Collection


  Aug 22, 1997       Superintendent's memo and forms released
                       to reporting entities

  Sep. 30, 1997      Actual counts are performed

  Oct. 15, 1997      REPORTING DEADLINE!  All forms and files
                       must be received by MIS/Fall Membership
                       team

  Oct. 17, 1997 pm   Appropriate Superintendents notified of
                       delinquent reports

  Oct. 27, 1997      Deadline for Superintendent's
                       verification of Fall Membership data

  Nov. 3, 1997       Department of Planning and Budget
                       receives appropriate information from
                       Department of Education

  December 1997      Fall Membership summary reports
                       available on VA.Pen and the world wide
                       web

                    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    If you submit via facsimile, there is no need to send an
      original form via mail.

    DOE contact person:  L. Ande Johnson Mathews can be
      reached at e-mail address fall-mem@pen.k12.va.us;
      facsimile (804) 371-8978; telephone (804) 225-2947.