Longview board reviews enrollment, budget forecast and state funding risks in Wednesday study session

The Longview School District board on April 12 reviewed enrollment projections, a four‑year budget forecast and state legislative developments that could affect district revenue and cash flow.

At a study session, district staff said enrollment for 2025–26 is projected to be essentially flat compared with 2024–25 and that the district will proceed with budget development on that assumption. Executive Director Patty Bowen summarized the board‑approved budget planning focus as “strategic financial management while maintaining our commitment to students and staff.”

Why it matters: enrollment drives the district’s largest revenue streams and influences staffing and program funding. District leaders told the board they are preparing a contingency plan because the current forecast assumes a $1.6 million one‑time use of fund balance for 2024–25; without new or sustained revenue, that use would need recurring savings going forward.

Patty Bowen and the superintendent (Doctor Twillegas) walked the board through a 10‑year enrollment trend and the district’s methodology for projecting FTE. Bowen said the district uses survival‑cohort modeling and outside kindergarten forecasts to roll students forward and that recent program expansions — including alternative learning programs, Open Doors and a KinderBridge transition to kindergarten program — make the last three years’ counts not strictly comparable to earlier years.

Board members and staff flagged two related legislative concerns: (1) bills affecting transition‑to‑kindergarten (KinderBridge/TTK) funding and (2) proposals that would change the timing of apportionment payments to districts, shifting some months’ payments from the current fiscal year into the next. Bowen said supplemental budgets in the House and Senate were “pointing toward” full funding for 2024–25 transition‑to‑kindergarten enrollment, but that a proposal in the Senate would cap districts’ TTK enrollments and prioritize funding for districts that operated TTK in 2024–25.

On timing, district staff described a proposed apportionment schedule change (referred to in the meeting as an ALE apportionment shift) that would reduce payments in February–April and backfill them in August. Bowen said that change would create a cash‑flow gap for the district in mid‑year and require drawing on fund balance to meet payroll and monthly obligations until revenue arrives in August.

The board also heard that salary inflationary assumptions for budget development (IPD) are set at 2.5 percent, and that proposed state action on special education multipliers, MSOC funding and transportation remains limited or uncertain. Bowen noted the district’s staffing costs have increased about 10 percent since the pandemic and currently make up roughly 84 percent of the budget.

Community and staff input: district staff presented results of a budget survey that drew 753 responses. Survey takers prioritized options such as holding open some positions through attrition and limiting materials and operating spending; community respondents ranked some cuts more highly than staff, while staff responses tended to oppose reductions that would affect classroom services. Bowen said the open‑ended responses included suggestions that would not produce material savings (for example, merging high schools would require major facilities work and a bond) as well as practical ideas about efficiency, grants and fee adjustments.

Board direction and next steps: Bowen said the district will move forward with budget development using the current enrollment projection, continue to monitor the legislative session, and work with a budget advisory committee (which meets again April 24) to refine options. The superintendent and staff reiterated that the board previously approved budget parameters (on Feb. 10) that will guide decisions and that any short‑term fund balance draw will require recurring savings in later years to restore reserves.

The session closed with board members emphasizing a priority to protect student‑facing services and to preserve an adequate fund balance for cash‑flow and emergency needs.