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Pendleton County Schools board warned of ~$150,000 funding shortfall as state's 1,400-student formula drops
Summary
District finance staff told the board that preliminary state calculations put Pendleton's funded enrollment below the 1,400 floor, producing an estimated shortfall of roughly $150,000 for the coming year; the board discussed staffing, grants, and options to soften the impact.
JP, the district finance presenter, told the board the state's "1,400 floor" funding formula will likely calculate Pendleton's funded enrollment at about 1,382 students rather than the 1,400 used to date, producing an estimated reduction in state allocation of roughly $150,000 for the coming fiscal year. JP said the calculation draws on a students-per-square-mile ratio that compares Pendleton to Pocahontas County and then applies statutory multipliers used by the state for small, rural districts.
The superintendent and board members heard JP's explanation of how the formula, charter-student adjustments and fractional FTEs factor into the number. JP noted that preliminary enrollment figures used by the state packet showed about 843 full-time-equivalent students before adjustments and a district-calculated funding figure of roughly 848.95 after the charter and fractional adjustments; that figure underpins the 1,382 funding projection. "So about a $150,000 short," JP said when summarizing the likely budget impact.
The superintendent emphasized the district is not at a point of making final cuts and framed the projection as a planning item for FY27. Board members and staff discussed possible responses: seeking legislative relief (the board has in prior years advocated to preserve the 1,400 floor), pursuing programmatic or personnel adjustments only if necessary, and monitoring final state-run FY27 funding figures expected in the coming weeks. JP said the state will issue final monetary allocations shortly and the board will use those numbers in its FY27 revenue-and-expense planning.
Board members also reviewed staffing counts versus funding formula allowances. JP explained the district is funded for more professional and service positions under the formula than it presently employs in some categories (the packet showed funding allowances and the district's current employed counts). JP cautioned that if the district repeatedly falls below the formula-capacity thresholds, it could need to discuss adjustments to maintain compliance with state ratios or seek legislative remedies.
What happens next: the state will send finalized FY27 funding numbers in the coming weeks; the board scheduled budget planning and monitoring as part of its January work. The superintendent said the district will continue to monitor grant opportunities and other revenue sources (including Secure Rural Schools/forest land funds) while planning for a possible $150,000 annual reduction in state allocation.
