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South Kingstown school officials report enrollment uptick, warn of charter and transportation costs
Summary
Superintendent Mike Pedraza told a joint session Dec. 18 that in‑district enrollment stabilized (2,182 students) and total district enrollment including out‑of‑district placements reached ~2,472; the district said charter/CTE and out‑placement costs are an estimated $20,000 per student and federal grant levels for FY27 remain uncertain.
Superintendent Mike Pedraza told the joint Town Council and School Committee in South Kingstown on Dec. 18 that the district’s FY27 planning will balance “stability, stewardship and responsiveness,” and added partnership as a fourth guiding principle.
Pedraza said validated enrollment as of Dec. 16 shows 2,182 students in district buildings and a total enrollment figure of about 2,472 when out‑of‑district placements, choice/charter and state school students are included. He said average daily membership, the metric used for state aid, was about 2,461 and cautioned that state aid does not fully cover the actual per‑student cost.
The superintendent said each South Kingstown student attending a charter, state or CTE program costs taxpayers on the low end about $20,000 and that the district budgeted more than $4.5 million this fiscal year for students who leave the district for those programs. He emphasized that South Kingstown has a larger than typical presence of charter and state choice programs and that transportation costs — already a substantial line item — will rise as students travel further.
Pedraza also flagged several school budget pressures for FY27: pending science curriculum purchases that include recurring consumable costs; expiring contracts for educational support professionals and transportation vendors; and a statewide food‑service contract that has not yet been reissued for bidding. He said the school department is working to prioritize reimbursable projects for the CIP to maximize state school housing aid.
On federal funding, officials said they have no firm indication of FY27 grant totals for Title I, IDEA and other federal programs; the school finance slides put state and federal revenue this year in the range of roughly $1.77 million, but most of that funding is restricted. District staff told the council they are budgeting conservatively for federal dollars until guidance is clearer.
Councilors and residents asked about class sizes, special‑education placements, and whether building in‑district alternatives could reduce out‑placement costs. A parent at the microphone said her child’s classroom rose from about 18 last year to 25 this year and asked whether the district could rebalance sections. Superintendent Pedraza and staff said they monitor enrollments, that some class‑size differences reflect in‑migration and programmatic offerings, and that staffing decisions must respect contracts and seniority rules.
What’s next: the school department will continue to refine FY27 requests and share updated CIP project timing and maintenance‑of‑effort calculations at upcoming joint budget workshops and public hearings.
