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Superintendent says Asheville City Schools faces roughly $700K shortfall for special‑education funding, urges resolution
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Summary
Superintendent Maggie Fuhrman told the board that state EC (special‑education) funding caps leave Asheville City Schools covering a gap of roughly $700,000 annually as enrollment of students needing EC services has grown; the district may back a resolution asking the state to change the funding model.
Superintendent Maggie Fuhrman told the Asheville City Schools Board of Education that the district is serving about 640 school‑age students with special‑education (EC) needs — roughly 16.7% of enrollment — and that a state funding cap leaves the district with a sizable funding gap.
Fuhrman said the state funds EC at a per‑student allotment that is capped at 13% of a district’s enrollment, and because Asheville exceeds that percentage the district does not receive state funds for roughly 140 EC students. “We’re looking at a shortfall of about $700,000,” Fuhrman said, adding that district spending averages roughly $13,400 per EC student while the effective state allotment after the cap is closer to $5,136 per pupil.
Why it matters: The difference between what the district spends to meet students’ needs and what the state provides drives budget pressure for local funds and places strain on services that include speech, specialized interventions and intensive supports for some students.
Fuhrman said Buncombe County Schools recently passed a resolution addressing the EC funding formula and that Meet‑Confer‑Collaborate (MCC) partners are preparing a similar resolution the district could endorse. “We can draft a resolution that we can bring for your consideration,” Fuhrman said. Board members asked staff to prepare language and indicated a willingness to coordinate with Buncombe County’s effort.
Board members pressed for clarity on the numbers presented: different slides showed estimates ranging from about $700,000 to $938,000 before staff reconciled figures. Fuhrman acknowledged revisions and said Heidi (district finance staff) had updated some figures: “The updated numbers are in the $783,000 range,” she said, while also noting adjustments brought figures closer to roughly $700,000 in later slides.
Some board members recommended the resolution seek a longer‑term change to a services‑based funding model rather than a student‑cap formula. A district staffer noted that costs vary widely by student: “Some speech‑only kids don't cost us nearly $13,000 but then an autistic or other service‑driven child that needs multiple services might cost us $50,000,” the staffer said, underscoring why members argued a services model could better match funding to need.
Fuhrman also presented progress on the district strategic plan and student vision work and said the board would see an action‑plan presentation at the April 13 work session ahead of a May approval vote.
Next steps: Fuhrman said she would review Buncombe County’s resolution language, work with staff to draft proposed language for the board, and — if the board agrees — bring a resolution for consideration at a future meeting.
