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Board hears budgeted enrollment estimate of about 13,500 and a projected small decline
Summary
Finance staff presented a building‑by‑building enrollment budgeting method and said the district is budgeting roughly 13,500 students with a projected net decline of about 163 students; trustees discussed finalizing estimates after kindergarten registration and timing for the public budget hearing.
Travis, the district’s budget presenter, told the board the staff is using a cohort attrition and growth model to budget enrollment at the building level and is currently working off an estimate of about 13,500 students for next year. He explained the packet shows both the budgeted enrollment and projected year‑end finish for each school; the working projection totals a net decline of roughly 163 students districtwide (elementary −133, middle −62, offset by other counts and program shifts).
Travis emphasized the numbers are preliminary: kindergarten registration arriving in the coming weeks could change counts and the district will finalize figures in time for the budget hearing. Board members supported the conservative budgeting approach — better to under‑estimate revenue and add if needed — and discussed scheduling the budget hearing in June or July, with a final resolution to be filed by the end of August if the board chooses that timing.
The board asked staff to produce readable, large‑font one‑pagers for trustees and requested follow‑up information comparing this year’s final enrollment drift to last year’s to calibrate projections. Trustees also discussed how statewide trends in lower birthrates are affecting kindergarten cohorts and, by extension, future staffing and program decisions.
Ending: Staff will monitor kindergarten registrations and bring updated enrollment tables to the board ahead of the budget hearing; trustees signaled they will consider either a June or July hearing date depending on advertising and notice requirements.
