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Highlands County officials say rising health costs and falling enrollment drove $8.5 million shortfall; state approves recovery plan
Summary
Deputy Superintendent Andrew Lethbridge told a board workshop that rising health-insurance claims and falling enrollment have produced roughly $8.5 million in cumulative health-fund deficits; the Florida Department of Education has approved a recovery plan projecting a 3.71% fund balance by June 30, 2027. Board members debated whether to target a higher 4%–5% cushion.
Andrew Lethbridge, the district’s deputy superintendent, opened a budget workshop by identifying rising employee health-insurance costs and declining student counts as the primary drivers of the district’s budget stress.
"Claims have surpassed revenue," Lethbridge said, listing recent health-fund swings: a little more than $2 million in surplus at the start of 2023, a drop to about $200,000, a $4 million negative in 2023, and further negative results in subsequent years that he summarized as about an $8.5 million cumulative shortfall in the health fund.
Lethbridge also said enrollment fell short of projections: the district budgeted for about 11,562…
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