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Board presses administration on average daily enrollment figures and impact on certified tuition
Summary
Board members questioned an adjustment to average daily enrollment figures used in the 2026‑27 budget (reported as 760.6 then adjusted to 797 for the high school), and administration explained ADE comes from PowerSchool and a three‑year averaging requirement in statute, with certified tuition adjusted after audit acceptance (ACFR).
Board members pressed district staff for clarity about average daily enrollment (ADE) figures used in the upcoming 2026‑27 budget and how those figures affect tuition calculations.
The business administrator told trustees that the ADE figures initially reflected in the budget software showed 760.6 for a referenced cohort but were revised to 797 after a county review and reconcilement with the school register summary. "The adjustment decreased the tuition rate," the business administrator said, noting the correction was made with county approval to better reflect actual enrollment trends.
Board members asked why the homeroom software averages over three years; a participant replied the three‑year look‑back is required in statute. The business administrator explained that ADE values are generated through PowerSchool and compiled into a register summary that feeds the homeroom portal and that the 2026‑27 budget uses the June 2025 register summary as a starting point. Staff emphasized that certified tuition is generated from audited ACFR reports after the school year is completed and accepted: "The audit that's done after the budget year is over... that generates the actual tuition amount for that year that it's auditing," the business administrator said.
A member of the public, John Maguire, asked whether the audit (ACFR) or the budget was a more accurate source for per‑pupil costs. The business administrator reiterated that the ACFR, produced after the fiscal year, generates certified tuition for the audited year and that enrollment numbers can be adjusted over time as audits are completed.
Board members requested additional documentation and clarity in future packets, including whether contract maximums and attachments are visible, and asked administrators to follow up with auditors and provide statutory citations for the three‑year averaging requirement.
No formal policy changes were adopted at the meeting; board members asked staff for follow‑up materials and clarification in upcoming reports.
