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Ogilvie superintendent warns state funding cuts could force up to two teacher reductions
Summary
Superintendent Kevin Ricky told the Ogilvie board that a possible drop in state compensatory aid and other budget shifts could reduce district revenue by roughly $175,000 and likely require the district to reduce about two full‑time teaching positions through attrition or reassignment.
Superintendent Kevin Ricky told the Ogilvie Public School District board on March 23 that the district will "probably reduce by two FTEEs in our teacher ranks" through attrition or reassignment if projected state funding changes materialize.
Ricky framed the warning around two statewide funding risks. First, a preliminary draft of compensatory aid calculations could cut the district’s compensatory revenue to about $321,000 from roughly $496,000 — a difference of about $175,000. Second, the governor’s supplemental budget includes a proposed $50 million reduction statewide to the special-education cross-subsidy. Ricky said either development, or both together, would increase pressure on the district’s budget and could translate into personnel reductions.
"If commenatory aid and cross subs don't come through it could be more than two FTEES," Ricky said during the meeting, noting that the board and administration are tracking multiple funding streams and the state legislative timeline. He urged caution: statutory notification deadlines can apply to continuing-contract teachers if an unrequested leave of absence (ULA) is required; the district must notify affected continuing-contract teachers by April 1 if it intends to pursue ULA notices tied to financial layoffs.
Administrators told trustees the district’s official enrollment on the day of the meeting was 413 students, with one pending family that could raise the count to 416 at the next meeting. Board members and administrators noted that low kindergarten enrollment (26 students currently) could affect section counts and staffing needs, and that the district will finalize a staffing recommendation once the secondary schedule and kindergarten roundup numbers are firm.
Ricky said the board will continue monitoring the legislative process — including a policy deadline in mid‑to‑late May — and will revisit staffing decisions once revenue numbers are certain. The board received the update as information; no formal staffing actions were taken at the meeting.
