About 16,573 K-12 students enrolled in Yamhill County's seven school districts as classes began last week in most cites and Aug. 31 in Willamina.

Enrollment is up slightly over predictions in Yamhill-Carlton - 1,235 during the first week, compared to 1,220 expected when the budget was drawn up in June. In Sheridan, first-week enrollment is running about 75 above the projected 956 - a definite positive, according to Superintendent A.J. Grauer.

In Amity, Superintendent Reg McShane worried when the first-day enrollment showed a drop of 15 compared to last year. But by the end of the week, 730 students were enrolled, just three fewer than the start of 2008-09.

"That's closer than what I'd thought," he said. "I'm feeling better. And we may get some more."

Student numbers always fluctuate during the first weeks of the school year. Districts don't report their official numbers to the state until Oct. 1.

Lower than expected enrollment can mean a loss of revenue, which is distributed by the state on a per-pupil basis according to a weighted formula. Higher than expected means more money.

As of Friday, McMinnville was running about 100 students above projections, with 6,650 enrolled. But Superintendent Maryalice Russell said the number will be more accurate in a week, after schools adjust their books to reflect students who have moved away as well as those who've enrolled late.

No matter what the final number turns out to be, she said, "It's been a great first week."

Willamina schools predicted an enrollment of 891 students. So far, 889 have arrived.

"We're right at what we anticipated," said Mark Jeffery, who took the helm over the summer. "That's always good to hear."

He added, "Of course, we'd love to be way over."

Two weeks into the school year, Jeffery said things are going very well in the district. This is due, in part, to an experienced staff, he said. Only one teacher is new to the district this year; and that person had substituted before being hired following a retirement.

Dayton's enrollment also is right on target, with 975 students as of Thursday. Superintendent Janelle Beers said she won't be surprised to see some additional high school students show up as the month wears on.

With enrollment at the expected level, most class sizes are fairly small, especially at the primary grades, where classes have about 20 students each. Classes are a bit larger in the upper elementary grades, though, because funding shortages led the district to reduce one grade level from four sections to three.

In Yamhill-Carlton, Superintendent Steve Chiovaro said he's pleased to have first-week numbers that are higher than expected.

However, he said, some classes at the intermediate level are larger than ideal, and a few are up into the low 30s. That's directly related to tight school funding and the failure in May of a local option levy that would have provided about $750,000 a year for three years, he said.

In general, Chiovaro said things are going well in the district, despite some major grade-level reconfiguration.

All kindergarten through fourth-graders, from both Carlton and Yamhill, now attend Yamhill-Carlton Elementary School in Carlton. All fifth- through eighth-graders go to Yamhill-Carlton Intermediate School in Yamhill. Ninth- through 12th-graders attend Y-C High, as usual.

Previously, younger students stayed in their home communities before transitioning to a single school in adolescence.

"Parents have been wonderful about the changes," Chiovaro said. "I visited some classes today, and kids are telling me they like all the new kids."