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Board reviews two enrollment‑study proposals; delays procurement until June
Summary
DevOpar presented two outside proposals — Cropper GIS and the PA Economy League — to produce a 10‑year enrollment and demographic forecast; the board agreed to defer a procurement vote to the June meeting and asked for sample deltas versus PDE projections.
DevOpar consultant Chris (presenting May 6) briefed the Exeter Township School Board on two proposals the district solicited to produce a 10‑year enrollment and demographic study. The two firms under consideration were Cropper GIS and the Pennsylvania Economy League.
Why it matters: reliable enrollment forecasts feed facilities, staffing and long‑range capital planning; board members said current PDE projections did not fully reflect local housing and migration dynamics.
Chris said both vendors will use historical enrollment, county GIS, housing and labor‑market data, and local planning information to produce a 10‑year forecast that incorporates the district’s October 1 count. Timing in the proposals targets a draft report in October so the study can incorporate the official count. He noted a roughly $15,000 price difference between the proposals and said both vendors have relevant experience; Cropper GIS was recommended as the more cost‑effective option.
Board members asked how consultants estimate school‑age yield from new apartment complexes and how they treat transiency. Chris said vendors rely on historical comparable developments, county data and conversations with local officials; they will footnote speculative developments that are not yet permitted. He also agreed to provide the board with published examples showing how each vendor’s final forecast compared with the PDE projection for similar districts.
The board asked about procurement timing and budget. The committee agreed there was no identified grant to pay for the study and that the cost would fall to the general fund if approved. Members agreed to defer a vote until the June voting meeting so the board could review example studies and evaluate budget implications in the context of final budget decisions.
Ending: administration will collect reference studies that compare vendor forecasts with PDE projections, share them with the board, and place the enrollment‑study procurement on the June voting agenda.
