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Sedona superintendent warns enrollment decline and funding model strain hinder school services
Summary
Sedona Oak Creek Unified School District leaders reported a long decline in student enrollment, volatile state funding tied to current‑year counts, rising English‑learner needs, and teacher recruitment challenges tied to local housing costs; the district asked the city for short‑term supports such as after‑school funding and promotional help.
Superintendent Tom Swaninger told a joint meeting of the Sedona City Council and the Sedona Oak Creek Unified School District on March 25 that the district has lost more than half its students since 2006 and faces funding volatility because Arizona’s funding is based on current‑year counts.
"We are now at 694," Swaninger said, summarizing the district's total enrollment across schools and describing a steady decline from earlier years. He said the district receives roughly $5,113 per student in base funding under the state formula shown on his slide and emphasized that the district must predict enrollment conservatively to avoid midyear budget gaps. "You really have…
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