Amery School District warns of staff reductions as enrollment declines; borrowing may be needed

The Amery School Board heard a candid budget update at its March meeting: district leaders said declining student enrollment is shrinking state funding tied to per-pupil dollars and that rising costs mean the district will reduce staff and some programs in the near term.

"The school district of Amry is experiencing declining enrollment," the district administrator told the board, adding that fewer students mean less revenue even though core costs such as utilities, transportation and facility operations remain largely unchanged. The administrator said the district expects additional action "during the months of March, April, and May," including staff reductions and program adjustments, and said borrowing may be used to manage cash‑flow timing created by how the state funds public schools.

Board members and administrators discussed cost drivers and long-term pressures: rising benefit and insurance costs were highlighted (one board member said benefits now represent roughly 80 percent of total compensation compared with about 60 percent seven years earlier), and members noted that fixed building and transportation costs do not scale down as enrollment falls. Supervisors also pointed to inflationary increases in bus replacement and maintenance costs — one administrator noted a recent bus purchase moved from about $100,000 to roughly $157,000 in recent years and predicted that new emissions and equipment requirements may push prices higher.

Administrators said they are making efforts to limit impacts on students but warned the reductions are necessary to preserve the district’s long-term stability. The board did not vote on any layoffs during the meeting; officials said personnel and program decisions will proceed through the spring and that details will be finalized in coming weeks.