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Board warned of up to $360,000 shortfall tied to charter school ADM accounting
Summary
Board members said state ADM calculations that combine district and charter enrollment create a financial cliff for the district; staff estimate a 20-student difference could reduce entitlement funding by about $360,000 and will lobby the Wyoming Department of Education for three-year averaging.
Board members raised concerns that the district’s declining enrollment is masked when the district’s ADM (average daily membership) is aggregated with a growing charter school, producing a more favorable single-year trend for funding calculations.
Speaker 11 told the board staff have found a likely 20-student difference between a one-year lookback and a three-year average and estimated that difference equates to "generally... $360,000 at the least." He and Speaker 6 said the district plans to lobby the Wyoming Department of Education and legislators to use a three-year average or separate accounting to soften funding cliffs and give the district time to adjust staffing.
Board members discussed outreach steps including attending joint committee meetings and writing letters to state education leadership. Staff said some central-office funds previously linked to charter school ADM have already been reallocated, worsening the district’s position.
No formal state policy change was made at the meeting; the board agreed to pursue advocacy and return with any guidance from WDE.
