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Pinkerton billing and enrollment swings force Derry administrators to monitor a $700,000 shortfall
Summary
Officials told the fiscal advisory committee that October’s Pinkerton invoice left Derry roughly $700,000 over preliminary tuition projections. Administrators said weekly enrollment updates, an exit-form proposal and deeper coordination with Pinkerton are being pursued to reduce future volatility.
The Derry Cooperative School District’s business office and superintendent told the fiscal advisory committee on Nov. 4 that October billings from Pinkerton have left the district with an unexpected tuition shortfall and that the administration is pursuing stronger tracking to reduce future volatility.
Jane Smart, the district’s business administrator, said the district is billed by Pinkerton three times a year — in October, February and April — and that the October bill assumes students will remain enrolled for 90 days. Because some students unenroll shortly after the October count, the October invoice can overstate the final year’s tuition liability until credits are processed.
“That first billing… it would be it's around $700,000,” Smart said, describing the district’s October exposure before later adjustments. Superintendent Michael Flynn said weekly withdrawal updates now arrive to the administration and that the district expects the figure to change as students unenroll and Pinkerton applies credits.
Committee members and administrators discussed operational steps to improve communications and tracking with Pinkerton, including creating an exit form for eighth graders, comparing course-signup sheets in February and establishing a clearer flow of enrollment data between districts.
Flynn also raised Education Freedom Account (EFA) issues: he said the state has questioned some family uses of EFA funds and has intervened in at least one case, which complicates tracking of student movement and funding.
School staff reported other enrollment-related details: administration said 31 students attended Pinkerton who had not been on Derry’s radar as incoming ninth-graders, and Joe (enrollment staff) reported the district currently has several open special-education-related positions that complicate in-house service delivery.
The committee asked the administration to continue weekly updates, to provide the finalized Pinkerton rate the week of Thanksgiving and to return with a December meeting that will include the updated Pinkerton numbers and revised budget scenarios. Members said giving voters a clear, revised budget option depends on the December adjustments to Pinkerton and to the state adequacy number.
