Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Enrollment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District reports modest enrollment gains and a smaller projected fund-balance drawdown
Summary
District staff reported enrollment ahead of budget by an average of about 12 full-time-equivalent students for basic education and noted special education enrollment increased by about 20; officials said the fund-balance drawdown originally budgeted at about $800,000 now appears likely to be much smaller.
District staff reported enrollment and preliminary budget figures as the board starts planning for next year.
On enrollment, staff said the district is about 12 full-time-equivalent (FTE) students ahead of the basic education budgeted numbers as of January; alternative-learning enrollment is about 11 FTE ahead of budget. Staff noted a drop at the middle-school level of about 19 FTE and an increase in special education of about 20 FTE. Running Start participation was reported about eight FTE above the budgeted average. The staff presenter said final averages can change after semester transfers and that principals will be consulted to understand the middle-school decline.
On the budget, staff said financial reports cut off at the end of December and that, while revenues lag the 33%-of-year mark, the district expects some catch-up — particularly in special education — in subsequent county reporting. The district had budgeted to draw down approximately $800,000 from fund balance for the year but is now "cautiously" projecting a substantially smaller drawdown; staff gave a numeric projection during the meeting that was unclear in the recording but described the district as "not near that number." Staff cautioned that unplanned expenses (kitchen equipment failures, cold-weather costs, etc.) could still increase expenditures before year-end.
Why it matters: Enrollment numbers drive state funding and staffing decisions; changes in special education and middle-school enrollment can change projected revenue and expenditures. A smaller-than-budgeted fund-balance drawdown would leave more capacity for future years but still requires monitoring.
What the board asked: A board member asked when staff expects clarifying data on the middle-school decline; staff said principals would be consulted that week and that clearer information might be available by the weekend but did not commit to a specific date.
Ending: Staff will continue meetings with principals to investigate the middle-school decline and will update the board as county financial reports and later semesters provide definitive figures.
