Jennings County School Corporation officials told the board in a Dec. work session that sustained enrollment declines and recent state funding changes will force continued, sometimes difficult, cost‑containment choices.

"Over the last 15 years, we've consistently lost an average of 100 students per year," Speaker 3 said, summarizing a demographer's analysis and noting that the district now has about 27% fewer students than 15 years ago. Speaker 3 said the district engaged a demographer in 2023 to model long‑term trends and that the decline is driven by demographic shifts, housing and employment changes.

The superintendent's presentation framed that enrollment decline alongside policy shifts she referenced as "Senate Enrolled Act 1" and related state funding changes. Speaker 3 said one specific funding impact is the anticipated loss of local income tax revenue, which she described as "equivalent to about $600,000 for us as a corporation annually." She cited a Dec. 4 Indiana Capital Chronicle survey of state superintendents showing most districts expect near‑term negative effects and that many are planning staff reductions or other cuts.

District staff said rightsizing has already been underway. "In the three years we've been working on cost containment through the strategic plan, our total staff is now at 594 — 69 fewer staff members," Speaker 3 said, describing reductions split across classified, certified and administrative categories. Staff reported certified positions are down, classified staff have been reduced, and administrators have been reduced as part of earlier adjustments.

Officials outlined several next steps the district is considering or pursuing: continued rightsizing tied to enrollment; a five‑year financial forecast to be shared in early 2026; a facility‑use and district‑boundary study to examine inequities in building utilization; and discussion of a certified‑staff retirement incentive if the board elected to include such language in the teachers' contract. Speaker 3 noted timing constraints: a retirement incentive would have to be decided before mid‑February to be offered for the current hiring cycle.

Board members pressed staff on detail and process. Speaker 2 requested additional staff‑survey questions and suggested breaking the work into multiple sessions; Speaker 3 agreed to revise surveys and gather feedback. Speaker 3 emphasized preserving continuity of instruction: "We do not make new changes that impact the individual student in the classroom unless there's no other viable option to finish that school year."

The presentation also discussed cash‑balance targets and operating cadence: staff recommended monthly finance reporting at regular board meetings and suggested discussing a formal cash‑balance target — often cited in schools at about 15% — to ensure emergency payroll and operating flexibility.

The board heard the overview as information; no formal decisions were recorded in the transcript segments provided. Staff said more detailed forecasts and specific proposals will come back for board consideration in the coming months.