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District budget briefing: declining enrollment reduces state revenue, staff outlines right‑sizing plan
Summary
Finance staff told the board the district projects reduced FEFP revenue because of declining full‑time equivalent (FTE) enrollment and presented steps to align staffing and building footprint, including using attrition, reviewing vacant positions, and forming 'tiger teams' for operational efficiencies.
Brevard Public Schools staff told the board Sept. 9 that declining student enrollment has reduced state funding and that current spending projections are not sustainable without adjustments. The presentation framed the FY 2026 budget as a planning estimate that must be adjusted to match enrollment, state funding and board priorities.
“Our current spending is not sustainable based on our revenue projections in FY 26 and the out years,” said Cindy Lesinski (presenting as the district finance lead). Staff reported a drop of about 3,197.69 FTE when comparing the 2024–25 second calc to the 2025–26 projection and emphasized that FEFP funding is driven by FTE. Staff said charters and scholarship programs complicate counts because some scholarship dollars flow through the state and not directly to the district.
The staff presentation cited national demographic trends — including a long‑term drop in the number of children under age five — and local enrollment patterns that show pockets of growth and decline across the county. To respond, staff outlined a multi‑part plan: increase operational efficiency, pursue a controlled spend‑down, eliminate or freeze vacant positions, adjust school staffing to targeted needs rather than uniform allotments, and examine under‑capacity aging facilities to reduce overhead and redirect resources to students and staff.
Staff said personnel costs comprise roughly 85% of a school's expenses and under‑enrolled schools do not cover their operating overhead; the district plans to prioritize preserving programs and classroom experience while aligning the district’s footprint to enrollment. Staff also noted capital and restricted funding buckets (for example, capital projects, impact fees, charters, special revenue and internal service funds) have statutory restrictions on use and cannot be repurposed freely to cover operating shortfalls.
Board members asked for further detail on how the state’s third‑calc numbers were generated and whether dual‑enrollment or scholarship accounting explained the shifts. Staff said the state provides FTE calculations and that the district will review dual‑enrollment counts and other factors to reconcile the figures when the next official counts are released.
Ending: Staff recommended continued monitoring and a phased approach — using attrition, vacancy reviews and targeted staffing models — and said they will return with specific budget proposals for the board’s consideration at the advertised budget hearings and meetings.
