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Public commenter presses board on enrollment numbers; district reports 2,151 K–12 and a reduced levy
Summary
A public commenter accused the district of using inflated enrollment figures that created a revenue shortfall; district finance staff reported 2,151 K–12 students submitted to MDE (Oct. 15) and said the district's levy run by MDE now sits near $4,389,000, down from $4,821,000 last year.
A public commenter sharply questioned the district's enrollment figures and budget assumptions at the Rock Ridge School Board meeting, saying the district's internal number of 2,336 students did not match Minnesota Department of Education reporting and warned of a near-term revenue shortfall.
The commenter said the district reported 2,239 students to the state and accused unnamed staff of "making up an enrollment number of 2,336" used to set the spring budget; the commenter estimated a roughly $1 million shortfall tied to lower enrollment and urged accountability: "Someone needs to be accountable for these mistakes," the commenter said.
District finance staff later provided the board's formal update. Andrea (district staff) told trustees the district submitted 2,151 K–12 students to MDE on Oct. 15 (that figure does not include early-childhood three- and four-year-old programs). She said manual adjustments in the MDE levy run on Oct. 3 changed the district's levy to approximately $4,389,000, a decrease from the prior year's $4,821,000. The district will hold a Truth-in-Taxation meeting on Dec. 8 at 6:00 p.m. at 1405 Progress Parkway to present levy details and provide a breakdown of categorical changes and debt-service adjustments, Andrea said.
Board members discussed the differing state measures (average daily membership, adjusted pupil units, tuition students) that produce different counts in public-facing systems and urged earlier finance and budget committee work in the year to anticipate changes. Trustees planned a budget/finance committee meeting earlier than last year to review projections and assumptions.
The board did not take a formal vote related to the public comment; trustees said they would continue to solicit accurate enrollment and levy detail ahead of the Truth-in-Taxation meeting.
