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Elma School District sees declining enrollment; budgeted conservatively, plans staffing increases
Summary
District staff presented a conservative budget after reporting a multi-year enrollment decline and lower kindergarten cohorts; the budget nevertheless includes planned staffing increases for a new school and an additional ELL teacher.
Lisa, a district staff member, presented the board with a 10-year enrollment history and short-term projections and said the district has seen enrollment fall in recent years. “This is our 10 year enrollment history,” she said, adding, “we've been dropping a little each year since the 2223.” She told the board she had taken a conservative approach to budgeting because birth rates and smaller kindergarten cohorts make the outlook uncertain.
Lisa said staffing projections in the proposed budget rise over the 10-year plan to support program needs and a potential new school opening. “These are not actual people, all of them yet, but I did put in the budget…if we start our new school, that we would have the staffing,” she said, and noted the budget includes an additional English-language learner teacher for middle/high grades and other program staff. Board members asked clarifying questions about how enrollment trends across nearby Red Star County inform projections.
