Coos Bay SD 9 leaders warn of budget pressure as enrollment dips

District finance lead Marina and the superintendent presented January financials and enrollment trends and described early steps to contain costs. Marina identified large vendor disbursements and said she will provide backup documentation; a board member characterized the coming year as likely to face a roughly $2 million shortfall.

The superintendent said the district aims to maintain a 5% undesignated fund balance and discussed an additional contingency range (about 2.5% to 4%) above that target. Administrative actions under consideration include position absorptions and attrition to reduce expenditures for the remainder of the fiscal year. The superintendent also noted the state March revenue forecast showed $250 million to $300 million more favorable revenue than earlier projections, but cautioned that legislative developments could change the outlook in 2027.

Trustees discussed long-term enrollment trends: county birth rates and smaller kindergarten cohorts have led to fewer incoming students than graduates in recent years, and dual-enrollment and online program growth complicate head-count reporting. Brenda supplied a live breakdown of online enrollment (208 students total, including 61 full-time high-school online students) and agreed to email a detailed report to trustees. Superintendent and board members emphasized outreach and program marketing as short-term approaches to retain and recover students.

Board members directed Marina and administration to provide reconciled financial backup and to present budget implications and options at a future meeting.