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Kings Valley Charter and Evergreen review staffing analysis and budget options amid tight enrollment
Summary
At a joint meeting, school leaders presented a staffing analysis comparing Kings Valley Charter School to nearby schools, reviewed enrollment and carryover scenarios, and discussed modest state funding gains and options for wage increases, an enrichment hire and classroom aids. Board approved handbook drafts and deferred final hiring/salary decisions to next meeting.
At a joint meeting of Kings Valley Charter School and Evergreen, staff presented a staffing and salary analysis and walked the boards through enrollment scenarios and budget options for 2025–26.
The presenters said the analysis compared the school’s staffing and administrative structure to neighboring schools and noted structural differences (for example, the charter’s contractor arrangement and separate accounting) that can inflate administrative figures on paper. A presenter summarized the finding this way: "I think we're in the ballpark efficiency wise," and added caveats about estimating FTEs in other districts.
Enrollment and revenue outlooks framed much of the discussion. Presenters reported 192 students enrolled to date, 214 offers extended and six offers still pending, yielding about 208 confirmed under the presenters’ accounting. Using conservative assumptions, staff estimated that at 195 students the school would be roughly $130,000 over its reserve target while still meeting minimum cash targets; higher enrollment would give more flexibility for raises and program hires.
On state funding, presenters cautioned that headline increases to the state grant translate modestly at the school level. One presenter described the likely net increase as "only $69,000" once district and contractual flows are taken into account and noted that the district will absorb portions of state increases before the charter receives funds.
Board members prioritized three staffing/program items in roughly this order: an enrichment teacher, an elementary classroom aide (0.875 FTE), and a reconfigured middle-school math/enrichment arrangement. Board members and staff discussed a scenario that would shift some middle-school wellness/gardening time into math instruction while maintaining gardening as an elective; staff emphasized trade-offs and summer maintenance needs for garden programming.
Several board members stressed competitiveness for recruitment and retention. Discussion included using incremental enrollment increases (a proposed baseline of 200 students, with a cap at 210 for certain bonuses) to fund targeted raises or one-time bonuses, and the possibility of making increases more permanent if enrollment stabilizes at higher levels.
The meeting produced several procedural outcomes: the board approved the middle/high student handbook markup draft and the primary student/parent handbook (motions recorded and passed by voice vote). The board discussed but deferred a final vote on posting and terms for a business manager role pending confirmation of salary thresholds and insurance/contract questions; staff will return with clarified salary and classification details at the next meeting.
What’s next: staff will finalize enrollment and state-funding numbers, confirm whether additional grant/donation items cited in the packet are firm, and return with a proposed job posting and salary recommendation for the business manager role at the next scheduled board meeting.
