Santa Rosa City Schools are a little less full than anticipated, but from the following numbers, it’s clear that a percentage point or two loss can mean significant hits to the budget.
Regular kindergarten through sixth grade enrollment (not including charters, special day classes and alternative education programs) is 126 students below projections. It is also a decline of 114 students from the same day in 2011-12.
In middle and high schools (also excluding charter schools, special day classes and alternative education programs) enrollment is 208 students below projections and 148 fewer than the same time last year.
The slight drop equates to $700,147 less in state revenue, an amount that has to come from the current year budget.
“There are many schools that are right on target and a few schools that are down and collectively, it’s about a two percent drop,” said Associate Superintendent Doug Bower told the school board Wednesday night. “This was a year we were hoping to see an uptick in the secondary level particularly. That didn’t quite happen.”
The revised revenue calculations will be included in a report presented to the board on Dec. 12.
Cortland Richmond
That is not just a problem in California. One cure for it — if possible — would be to isolate facility costs from educational ones; in theory (hah), fewer students cost less to educate. That might even be so, if classes and staffing could be adjusted to the new numbers.
Another might be to reduce reliance on state reimbursement as a substantial source of operating funds.
I have a mental picture of a school with no students complaining it can’t meet its costs — in a town that wants it to stay open.
September 18th, 2012 6:38 am