Boosted in part by an increase of students attending the Virtual School, Lawrence public schools had an increase of enrollment of 57 students over last year, school officials reported today.

The enrollment count, taken Sept. 20, showed there are 10,003 students this fall, compared to 9,946 in the fall of 2004.

However, the overall number of students was down by 223 from what school district officials had hoped they would find in the official count.

School districts across Kansas all take official enrollment counts on Sept. 20 of each year.

Those counts are sent into the state and applied to a school finance formula that determines the amount of state aid each district receives.

A preliminary look at the figures shows that Lawrence was helped significantly by the Virtual School.

Enrollment at the Virtual School increased overall by 164 students — 125 at the K-6 level and 39 at the junior high level.

Free State High School and Lawrence High School saw identical enrollment increases of 22 student each.