Elkhart superintendent warns of long-term funding shortfall, seeks feasibility study on school consolidation

Dr. Larry Huff, superintendent of Elkhart Community Schools, told a standing-room audience at a State of the District event that the district faces a structural funding shortfall driven by declining enrollment, changes in state funding tied to SEA 1, and rising operating costs.

"If we did nothing over the next few years, we would be in a negative cash balance by next year," Huff said, spelling out why he has asked the school board to authorize a consolidation feasibility study. He told residents the administration will seek community input before making formal recommendations.

The superintendent said the district counted 10,100 students on its October 1 enrollment (ADM) and operates 23 school buildings across roughly 80 square miles. Huff said the district manages about $1.1 billion in assets and more than 3 million square feet of facility space, and that routine upkeep requires roughly $20 million annually. He said elementary classroom occupancy averages 58 percent districtwide, with 371 elementary rooms and only 214 used for traditional whole-class instruction.

Huff put the enrollment trend in a longer context: Elkhart peaked at about 13,952 students in 2016 and has dropped to…