Ames district reports small enrollment decline, outlines facilities work including track demolition
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Summary
Superintendent reported certified October 15 enrollment fell by 91 students year over year; district staff warned kindergarten cohorts are smaller. Facilities updates included track and bleacher work, demolition of two northwestern campus buildings and continuing planning for Ames Middle School interior updates.
The Ames Community School District reported a certified enrollment decline of 91 students compared with last year, district administrators said at the board meeting.
Superintendent (name not specified at the meeting) told the board the certified count used for state funding was taken on Oct. 15 and the district’s certified figure fell by 91 students from the prior year. The superintendent said the decline fits a statewide pattern: most Iowa districts reported lower counts this year, with only two or three districts showing small gains.
The superintendent said lower kindergarten cohorts and fewer incoming elementary students are contributing to the trend and that certified enrollment numbers drive staffing and budget planning for the coming school year. The superintendent also noted that ESA-funded students are reported in certified enrollment but that the district had not yet received final state data on the number of ESA-funded students for the current year.
Facilities and capital projects: The board received an update that work on the high‑school track and bleachers is progressing and that a northwest campus demolition project will remove a three‑story building and garages described in board discussion as “an eyesore” to clear the site for future projects. The district is taking bids for the demolition work and said the cleared parcel will be prepared for future development.
Staffing and budget implications: District leaders said declining enrollment will affect staffing needs and that the board will discuss staffing and potential attrition tools, including the retirement incentive program and an early-resignation notification incentive, at upcoming meetings. The superintendent said the district will report a staffing outlook to the board in January once retirements and resignations are better known.
Other notes: The superintendent reported the district remains a net recipient of open-enrolled students (more students open-enrolled in than out). Administrators also said they track Story County birth rates to estimate future kindergarten classes.