Superintendent warns recalibration proposal could reduce district FTEs; committee scraps single‑year 5% cliff
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Summary
At Platte County School District #1’s board meeting, the superintendent summarized recent Senate action on Senate File 81 (K‑12 recalibration), noting shifts to a two‑year rolling average and potential FTE declines under earlier drafts; board members discussed local enrollment effects and counselor/nurse funding.
Superintendent (Speaker 5) told the board the Senate Education Committee met that morning to consider Senate File 81, a K‑12 public school finance recalibration bill, and that several amendments materially changed how district funding would be calculated. "They decided to scratch the 5% immediate proceeding year ADM," Speaker 5 said, and reported discussion of moving to a two‑year rolling average rather than the previous approach.
Why it matters: The recalibration affects how full‑time equivalents (FTEs) are awarded and therefore district staffing and funding. Speaker 5 showed the district had been funded at 103.12 FTEs in the FY26 baseline used for budgeting and that, under the earlier model prior to the morning’s amendment, the district would have been projected at about 94.97 FTEs — a drop of roughly 8.15 FTEs.
Details presented: Speaker 5 outlined specific class‑size and protection changes in the proposed model: K–3 ratios moving from 15:1 to 16:1, grades 4–8 shifting from 25:1 to 22:1, and high school ratios remaining at 25:1. He also described minimum teacher protections that guarantee at least six teachers at schools with 50 or more average daily membership (ADM) rather than relying solely on strict formula outputs. The superintendent illustrated the prorating formula used for small schools: "If we have 19.6 ADM, you divide it by 50 to give a total of 0.392, then multiply that times 6 teachers for a total of 2.35 FTE," he said.
What the board asked: Board members asked where enrollment losses were concentrated; Speaker 3 said declines were small and spread districtwide, with one incoming cohort expected to add about 20 students next year. The board also discussed how category funding (CTE, ELL, at‑risk, tutors) and proposed changes to how district‑level tech staff are counted could alter allocations.
Nurses and counselors: Speaker 5 said amendments discussed by the Senate committee would fund nurses and counselors inside the model and that the district's current model funds about 1.67 school counselors. "That'll be helpful," Speaker 8 observed, noting it could allow the district to add nursing capacity.
Next steps: The superintendent said he would continue to monitor progress on Senate File 81 and update the board. No formal board action was taken on recalibration during the meeting.
