Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Superintendent: Declining enrollment, PERS costs put Bethel SD 52 budget under pressure
Summary
Superintendent Craig Sproles told staff and community members that per-pupil funding and an ongoing enrollment decline, together with rising PERS and labor costs, are pressuring the district’s 2526 budget and forcing use of reserves and program adjustments.
Superintendent Craig Sproles presented Bethel SD 52’s preliminary budget outlook for the 2526 school year at Cascade Middle School, warning that per-pupil funding means falling enrollment reduces state revenue. “We’re funded on a per pupil basis,” Sproles said, adding that current enrollment sits near 5,000 after a pandemic low near 4,700 and a 2012–13 peak near 5,700.
Sproles described how cohort imbalances create immediate revenue effects: he said 416 seniors will graduate this year while the incoming kindergarten class is about 320, creating a near-term net loss of roughly 80–90 students. He projected enrollment will likely stabilize around 4,400–4,500 students rather than return to the earlier peak, and said the district has been drawing reserves—about $2.0 million per year—to smooth the transition. The district’s general fund ending balance is projected near $8.7 million (about 12%), and policy allows drawing down to 10% before asking the board for a variance.
