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KSDE: 9,000‑student drop and 12,000 weighted FTE decline tighten K‑12 dollars despite a 3% base increase
Summary
Kansas State Department of Education officials told the Committee on K‑12 Education Budget that enrollment fell by about 9,000 students and weighted FTE dropped roughly 12,000, reducing formula funding; the three‑year CPI‑U base rose about 3%, but consensus estimates show $130–$159 million less in general education than prior expectations.
Dr. Frank Harwood, representing the Kansas State Department of Education, told the Committee on K‑12 Education Budget that overall K‑12 headcount dropped by about 9,000 students year‑over‑year and that weighted full‑time equivalent (FTE) enrollment declined by roughly 12,000, a change he described as about a 1.8 percent decrease.
"We saw about a 9,000 student drop in enrollment from last year to this year," Dr. Harwood said, and he added that in aggregate the weighted FTE reduction resulted in a substantially smaller consensus revenue estimate for general education. He told members the three‑year CPI‑U average used in the funding base equated to roughly a 3 percent increase in the base, but that lower student counts reduce the total dollars distributed under the formula.
The department explained the consensus estimate difference in dollar terms: "If you looked at the numbers, a $159,000,000 less, 35,000,000 of that was left over from last year," Dr. Harwood said, summarizing how the combination of lower pupil counts and base changes produced a notable funding shift.
Why it matters: Kansas' school finance formula multiplies weighted FTE by the base amount. When FTE falls, even a modest base increase can leave districts with less total state funding. KSDE staff warned districts with long‑term declines to plan for program and staffing decisions, including partnerships or contracting across districts to preserve services.
Committee members pushed for tools and planning help. Dr. Harwood said KSDE publishes an estimator districts can use to model 2027 budgets under current law and that the agency will continue to advise communities to have local conversations about program priorities and possible consolidations.
What comes next: Members asked KSDE for more detailed district‑level projections and for assistance materials. KSDE indicated it will continue to provide consensus estimates and that members will review recommendations during the committee’s scheduled visits to the State School for the Blind and State School for the Deaf.
