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Superintendent warns district may lose about 40 students, costing roughly half a million dollars
Summary
District superintendent told the School District No. Re-3 Fort Morgan board that September enrollment figures indicate a possible loss of about 40 students and an estimated funding shortfall; staff will analyze which students left and why.
The superintendent told the School District No. Re-3 Fort Morgan Board of Education on Sept. 8 that district enrollment as of the state-count date suggests a potential decline of about 40 students, which would reduce state funding and could cost the district roughly $500,000.
The superintendent said the district "did some analytics years for September 1 or October 1" and that "some years, it's lower in stock in September 1. Which means that, we would then be in declining enrollment, which means that we would then for the, budgetary purpose. That would be approximately 40 student loss." The official added the per-student revenue figure is unclear in the meeting record, saying "it's pretty significant of $12,900 or should be 11,900 for students," and later described the overall impact as "right about half a million dollars, roughly."
Why it matters: Colorado school funding follows state count dates and per-pupil formulas administered by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). A sustained enrollment drop can reduce the district's state revenue in the next budget cycle and may require adjustments to spending or staffing.
Most important details: the superintendent said staff are "keeping an eye on it" and plan to analyze which students left and why to inform strategies to close the gap. The superintendent noted uncertainty about the exact per-student revenue figure and did not present final audit numbers; she cautioned the board that the figures are preliminary and that the district is "not ready to set anybody's hair on fire."
Board response and next steps: A board member asked for the fiscal accounting, and the superintendent said the impact is "right about half a million dollars, roughly" and that staff will produce an analysis to identify which students departed and potential causes. No formal financial action was taken at the meeting; the board received the report and asked staff to follow up.
Budget context and caveats: the superintendent emphasized that preliminary counts come from the CDE and that final audited results and state accounting could change the district's fiscal picture. She also said further enrollment and budget analysis will be done to craft mitigation strategies.
The board did not vote on any immediate staffing or program changes tied to the report; staff will return with analysis and recommendations.
