School started for Utah students in August, but some kids still aren't in class.

Each year, hundreds of Utah children trickle into schools late. Sometimes, they're only a day late, and sometimes they don't show up until after Labor Day. Experts say it's an issue that's not uncommon nationwide, forcing teachers to play catch-up with latecomers, and in some cases, compelling schools to tinker with staffing after the school year has already started.

Enrollment in Canyons School District elementary schools grew by 369 students between Sept. 1 and Oct. 1 of last school year. In Granite, the state's largest school district, elementary enrollment grew by 497 kids between the first day of school and Oct. 5 of last year. The Salt Lake City School District also sees its share of late students, said Jason Olsen, district spokesman. And the Alpine District sees enrollment increases at some schools after Labor Day, especially in lower-income areas, said Rhonda Bromley, district spokeswoman.

"We always have students who straggle in, in September," said Ben Lems, Canyons director of planning and enrollment.

Educators say a number of reasons could explain the delays. Some kids are still on vacation with their families at the end of August. Other families are in the process of moving homes or schools.

"If we have higher mobility than ever before with people moving to new communities, and we have no standard way to enroll, the likelihood that people are confused and trickling in is pretty high," said Hedy Chang, director of the Attendance Counts national initiative.

And it's possible some parents just don't realize school has started, maybe because they moved from another state with later starting dates, or because they just got confused. Some states don't allow schools to start before Labor Day, whereas most Utah schools resume classes toward the end of August.

Christine Webb, principal at Bell View Elementary in Sandy, said this week her school had already registered about 25 students since school began Aug. 23. She said she even hired an additional half-time teacher this week to help handle the increase. She said her school has high mobility anyway, with many students moving in and out of the area during a typical school year. She said summer can be an especially popular time to move.

Bell View also is surrounded by a number of rental units where leases might not have started until the first of the month. According to district figures, enrollment increased by about 50 students at Bell View last year between Sept. 1 and Oct. 1.

"I think economics has something to do with it, too," Webb said. "They can't afford to be on their own so they're moving in with relatives or they can't afford their house anymore so they have to go to an apartment."

Paul McCarty, principal at John C. Fremont Elementary in Taylorsville, said usually about 2 to 5 percent of his students don't arrive until after the first day of school, for various reasons — vacations, transfers from other schools or even sickness. Last year, the school's enrollment grew by about 22 students between the first day of school and Oct. 5, according to Granite District figures.

"I would say the day after Labor Day, then we can start focusing on how many students we have as the parents finish their summer obligations and vacations," McCarty said.

In Utah and other states, figures can fluctuate quite a bit during the first month and numbers are sometimes based on only informal estimates before October. Sometimes, for example, families move but don't notify the school that they won't be returning. That fluctuation is part of the reason schools don't have to provide official enrollment counts until Oct. 1 for funding purposes.

"Things haven't settled down yet" before then, said Jennifer Lambert, data quality manager at the state Office of Education.

Still, educators stress that parents should try to get students to school the first day.

"It really is difficult when they're not here because they miss so much of the procedures and just getting used to the teacher and what the layout of the school is," said Karen Kezerian, principal at Edgemont Elementary in Sandy, where enrollment increased by about 28 students between Sept. 1 and Oct. 1 of 2009, according to Canyons District figures. "If you miss the first act of the play, you might miss some important pieces, and you're not going to maybe understand everything you need to."

Ken Seeley, president and CEO of the Denver-based National Center for School Engagement, said it can be tough for teachers when students arrive late. Often teachers spend the beginning of the year testing students and gauging where they are academically, he said.

"If kids keep dribbling in it's kind of like starting over with every kid," Seeley said.

He said schools can help get more kids back to school in the fall by keeping families engaged with activities during the summer.

The vast majority of parents, however, bring their children to school on the first day. Many say they don't understand doing otherwise.

"Their education is the most important thing they need," said parent Troy Barker, who has two children at Plymouth Elementary in Taylorsville. "If they're not here, they're a little behind the game, I think."

lschencker@sltrib.com — —

Why do some kids straggle into school?

Educators say a number of reasons could explain the phenomenon, including:

Vacation • Some schoolchildren are still on vacation with their families at the end of August.

Moving • Some families are in the process of changing homes or schools.

Confusion • Some parents might not realize school has started, maybe because they moved from a state with later starting dates. Some states don't let schools start before Labor Day. Most Utah schools begin at the end of August.