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FSUSD enrollment down 1.4% so far; district staff warns of budget implications ahead of first interim
Summary
Superintendent Jennifer Sachs told the board that early attendance figures show a 1.4% decline in average daily attendance and that, based on preliminary estimates, each 1% ADA decline may correspond to roughly $2 million in lost revenue — staff will provide updated fiscal estimates at first interim.
Superintendent Jennifer Sachs and district staff updated trustees Oct. 16 on enrollment for the 2025–26 school year, reporting an early decline in average daily attendance (ADA) of about 1.4 percent districtwide and cautioning that the full fiscal impact will be clearer at the district’s first interim budget report.
Sachs said the district has not yet received all data points needed to finalize revenue estimates — specifically the unduplicated pupil percentage used in state funding formulas — and cautioned the board that the preliminary figure does not represent a final budget projection. Staff noted a rule-of-thumb estimate that a 1% decline in ADA can equate to roughly $2 million in annual revenue, which would imply a potential shortfall in the range of about $2.8 million for a 1.4% decline, though Sachs emphasized that the figure is preliminary.
Why it matters: ADA is a primary driver of state funding for school districts in California. Even modest declines in ADA can reduce per‑pupil revenue and complicate multi-year budget planning.
Board reaction and next steps
Trustees raised questions about the timing of data and asked staff to bring more precise projections to the first interim budget report. Superintendent Sachs said staff will provide updated estimates once unduplicated pupil data and other missing inputs are available.
Who spoke
Superintendent Jennifer Sachs provided the update and answered trustee questions. The district’s business services staff participated in follow‑up discussion about how ADA changes feed into interim reporting timelines.
Next steps
District staff will present a more complete fiscal analysis at the first interim budget presentation, using finalized ADA, unduplicated pupil counts and other required inputs.
