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District posts 2025–26 demographics dashboard as special-education and cyber-charter numbers rise
Summary
The district posted its 2025–26 enrollment and demographics dashboard showing a slight drop in enrollment from last year (about 29 students), boundary population growth (about 5,735), rising cyber-charter participation (249 to 305) and an increase in students identified for special education and 504 plans (about 75 more), which board members said will drive budget and staffing needs.
District staff told trustees that the 2025–26 enrollment and demographics report has been posted online and highlighted several trends board members should note.
The presenter said the district's boundary population is larger than the number enrolled in district schools and that the district now accounts for about 5,735 students in the boundary (including those in placements or Carlisle Virtual Academy), while actual district enrollment declined by about 29 students from the prior year. Cyber-charter enrollment increased from 249 to 305 this fall, and staff said many cyber students never enter district school buildings. The English-learner population showed a modest increase and immigrant/refugee students ticked up slightly.
Special education and Section 504 identifications continue to rise: staff reported roughly 75 more students identified with IEPs compared with the prior year, a trend trustees said is a major budget driver because out-of-district placements and additional services increase costs. "That manifests in the need for out-of-district placements," the presenter said, linking the trend to funding pressures discussed later by the finance committee. Trustees asked staff to return with more detail, including staffing projections and possible consortium approaches to Carlisle Virtual Academy to retain students.
Separately, business operations staff presented estimated fiscal-year 2025 year-end numbers showing a positive net change in fund balance of $305,724 on a roughly $117 million set of revenues and expenditures, but they noted two one-time transfers that affected that number: a $3,000,000 move to capital reserve for athletic facilities and a $760,473 transfer from an Old Bel Air enterprise fund into general fund. The business manager said the district remains below PDE's 8% unassigned fund-balance guideline, and staff are preparing budget templates for FY27 with an adjusted Act 1 index of 4.6 percent.
Trustees asked for further information about the Carlisle Virtual Academy structure and costs and for a deeper dive into staffing needs to address the special-education increase. Several trustees urged exploring consortium approaches and emphasized that cyber-charter tuition and special-education placements are major cost drivers.
