Superintendent flags 55‑student membership drop could cost district about $375,000
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Summary
Superintendent Wolgamott reported membership is down 55 students versus last year, which at the current unit value ($6,801.35) would reduce operational revenue by roughly $375,000; the board also received a quarterly financial report and an HR vacancies update (21 open positions).
Superintendent Wolgamott told the board on Nov. 20 that while total enrollment across the district had increased slightly from September to October, the district's membership count (the number used by the state for funding calculations) was down by 55 students compared with last year.
"If it was just 1 per student, that would be a reduction in our operational budget of approximately $375,000 at the base," Wolgamott said while explaining how membership and unit value affect state funding. He told the board the district reports membership on the 40th day and on the 120th/180th cycle used to calculate the next year's funding.
The superintendent provided the unit value figure in his presentation: $6,801.35 per unit for the year under discussion. He urged the board to watch membership trends closely because small changes in membership flow directly into staffing and budget decisions.
Human‑resources staff reported 21 vacant positions districtwide: 14 were teacher vacancies and seven were special‑education‑related vacancies. HR and superintendent staff said recruitment efforts are ongoing.
Chief Financial Officer Mister Adcock then summarized the district's quarter‑one financial report, noting that approximately 57% of state and local dollars were going to classroom instruction and that required reserves would be roughly three months of operating expenses — about $18 million given the district's stated operational revenue near $72 million. He also flagged roughly $1.7 million in federal funds the district had spent but had not yet been reimbursed by the state at the end of the quarter.
Board members asked for more granular subgroup and program data tied to the New Mexico VISTA accountability results (for example, differences between Early College and the regular high school) and requested staff return with additional breakdowns to help the board and public understand year‑to‑year trends.
Next steps: staff said they would track membership closely, provide subgroup breakdowns from the VISTA report on request, and continue HR recruiting work; no budget cuts or staffing reductions were approved at the meeting.