CFO briefs board on school-finance developments and four-year averaging; district remains cautious in revenue estimates

The board received a fiscal update that covered state school‑finance activity, enrollment dynamics and the district’s scheduling for budget approval.

Chief financial staff said a school-finance proposal moved unanimously through committee on Monday the seventh, and staff are tracking the bill as it moves through the legislative process. The district’s finance team said it will provide a refined revenue projection at the April 23 board meeting.

Staff described their current approach to risk: for 2025–26 the district is conservatively modeling a scenario that assumes no four‑year averaging of per‑pupil revenue for Roaring Fork School District, even though the state proposal includes provisions for averaging. The memo made a conservative projection for budgeting purposes, meaning potential averaging benefits would be treated as upside until the district can conclusively incorporate them.

Board members asked about the enrollment decline the district is projecting and how four‑year averaging would soften near-term revenue impacts. Staff said averaging would help smooth losses but would not eliminate expected reductions tied to recent enrollment declines; they noted that timing matters and that a fuller picture will come when official October counts arrive next school year.

Staff reminded the board of schedule constraints: operational budget spreadsheets for school leaders are due mid‑April (3 p.m. on April 15 for school leaders), the board expects a special June meeting to adopt the final budget and the finance team will continue to refine projections for the April 23 meeting.

Ending — Next steps: The finance office will present a refined revenue projection at the April 23 meeting and continue to brief the board during the April finance committee review and the scheduled June budget adoption.