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Ashland City School Board approves one-year cap on new open enrollments to trim projected shortfall
Summary
The board voted unanimously to limit new open-enrollment applications for one year while grandfathering current open-enrolled students, siblings and staff children, citing an estimated budget shortfall the district says could be about $1.005 million.
The Ashland City School Board voted unanimously March 23 to temporarily curb most new open-enrollment applications for the coming school year while preserving enrollment for currently open-enrolled students, their siblings and children of district staff.
Board President (reading the superintendent's report) said the board's one-year policy change is intended to give the district breathing room amid funding uncertainty. "We are clearly understand that maybe this is an unintended consequence of the funding model," the president said during discussion. The board cited review of local capacity and projected state funding in fiscal years 2027 and 2028 as reasons to act now.
Under the approved change, current open-enrolled students are grandfathered and may continue. Siblings of grandfathered students may apply to continue enrollment. Children of staff who already qualify under the board's stated exceptions may continue to enroll. New applicants who are not grandfathered, not siblings of grandfathered students and not staff children will not be accepted during the one-year window, the board said.
During the exchange, board members and administrators discussed numbers. The president said the district presently has 205 open-enrolled students and expects 23 graduating seniors, reducing the count to 182; the district anticipates that figure may rise only slightly when accounting for connecting siblings and staff children. "We're trying to get out from under what would for the naked eye look like a $1,005,000 deficit after last year," the president said.
Board members said they view the action as a temporary, narrowly tailored step that preserves continuity for students already in the district while limiting new demand that affects funding. The policy change is for one year and will be reviewed annually, the board said.
The motion to approve the policy change passed on a voice vote. Members recorded as voting yes were Mr. Brinley, Mrs. Depert, Mrs. Mowry, Mr. Summers and Mr. Tiven.
The board asked administrators to continue dialogue with state legislators about school funding and to provide updates to the community about how the policy will be implemented for families seeking enrollment options.
The board concluded discussion and moved on with its agenda.
