Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Enrollment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears steep enrollment decline and funding risk for Elk Creek schools
Summary
Stony Creek Joint Unified trustees were presented with a drop from 58 to 47 students and warned by the district CBO that a fall in elementary ADA below the funding band threshold could cost roughly $272,000 in annual revenue.
The Stony Creek Joint Unified School District Board of Education on Aug. 18 was briefed on a sharp enrollment drop and the fiscal risk it poses for Elk Creek schools. Superintendent Emily Pendell presented a districtwide fall to 47 students for 2025–26 (28 elementary, 19 high school) and detailed grade-level enrollments and summer mobility that subtracted 21 students and added nine.
CBO Dusty Thompson told the board the district is classified as a "necessary small school" under state Local Control Funding Formula rules and that funding is tied to ADA bands rather than simple head count. Thompson said a decline of elementary average daily attendance below roughly 24.5 would likely push the district into a lower funding band, "which would trigger $272k+ loss in revenue," creating a material budget strain. Recent ADA figures cited in the presentation were 53.08 (2023–24), 59.14 (2022–23) and 77.26 (2021–22).
The presentation distinguished enrollment (head count) from ADA (days attended) and flagged chronic absenteeism—reported at about 48% for students missing 18 or more days—as a major driver of funding vulnerability. Superintendent Pendell and staff noted that the October "Census Day" unduplicated pupil count determines certain supplemental funding components, making outreach and accurate reporting a priority for the district.
Board President Ritta Martin and members discussed possible near-term responses, including outreach and program changes to stabilize enrollment. No formal budget action or staffing changes were adopted at the meeting; the board directed continued monitoring and follow-up as staff refine projections ahead of the October count.
