For Michigan public school students, although all days are vital, two days each year eclipse all others in significance. Known as Count Days, these pivotal moments occur on the second Wednesday of February and the first Wednesday of October. Far from ordinary, these days serve as keystones in the financial structuring of education, transforming student attendance into crucial data. This ritualistic counting is more than a mere tally; it’s the lifeline of educational funding, determining the flow of resources crucial for the enrichment and sustainability of the state’s academic programs.