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on a projected enrollment of 863 basic education FTEs. Additionally, the district projects 15 FTEs in Running Start, 230 in the Alternative Learning Experience/Home Link program and a combined 116 between the middle and high school CTE programs. Basic education FTEs have decreased from 908 last school year, while ALE/Home Link has increased by 35. CTE program FTEs decreased by 10, and Running Start FTEs were unchanged.
“Compared to last year, I think we’re about 25 students down from … June’s enrollment,” Best said, adding that kindergarten enrollment counts still appeared healthy.
Enrollment is projected to increase next year to 875 FTEs, then continue decreasing to 868 by 2029–2030. The district may have to adjust operations as needed to match lower enrollment counts in basic education, Best said.
“An example of this would be looking at staffing levels, which we continue to do,” Best said. “And then we need to stabilize the MSOCs to plan for inflation as much as possible.”
Moreover, the district received cuts in revenue from three sources: $55,887 from Title I, $3,725 from Titles II, IV and V and $24,193 from Child Nutrition. The district will operate under the Community Eligibility Provision of the federal program, which provides free meals for all students.
Other sources provided the same or more revenue, with the district receiving $155,000 more in state support, which comprises 61.77% of the general fund revenue budget at $14,077,977. The levy comprises around 11.13% at $2.54 million, while federal funds comprise 6.24%.
“We’re not gonna get any help legislatively this year with additional funding,” Superintendent Dave Smith said at the meeting.
Spending is proposed to include $9 million in basic education, most of which fund staffing, as well as $2.54 from the levy, $2.61 million in state Special Education funding and $1.22 million in the ALE/Home Link program.
The state is also expected to fund $1.23 million in MSOC, or materials, supplies and operating costs — a $36,527 decrease from last year.
Meanwhile, the district is spending $1.75 million next year on supplies, professional services, travel and capital outlay, using additional funds from the ALE/Home Link program. These support unfunded MSOC expenses such as utilities and liability insurance, both of which have increased since last year. Decreasing enrollment affects MSOC funding as well.
“The district’s using our ALE funding to cover these shortfalls right now,” Best said. “So, if we didn’t have the ALE programs, we’d be having a different conversation today.”
Revenue and spending are expected to decrease to $23.45 million in 2027– 2028, then increase over the next couple school years to $23,77 million in 2029– 2030. The district projects $18,574 in excess spending over revenue in 2027–2028, followed by surpluses of $76,754 in 2028–2029 and $136,005 in 2029–2030.
“The four-year projection, it’s based off of declining enrollment, maintaining all of our current programs and expenditure levels for federal and state programs,” Best said.
Included in the budget is the Implicit Price Deflator pass-through of 2.6%, the inflationary increase. The district still does not receive Local Effort Assistance funds, Best said, but may become eligible in the future.
After the meeting, the board went into a 10-minute executive session.
