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Student population shrinks: Funding $2.3M below May projections

By JOHN SENTS - Staff Writer
Friday, September 26, 2008 12:15 PM PDT

First-graders in Michele Wines' class take a spelling test this morning at Elko Grammar No. 2. Wines has a total of 26 students. (Ross Andreson/Elko Daily Free Press)

ELKO - Lean times are ahead for the Elko County School District as its recent “weighted” enrollment count showed approximately 160 fewer students this year than planned, which will mean a drop of about $2.3 million in state funding from what was budgeted for this year.

“These are very lean times for the district,” Superintendent Antoinette Cavanaugh said. “The future may require us to operate in an even leaner fashion.”

In May, the district budgeted for a state allotment of $67,604,803. With the lower-than-expected enrollment figures, it now anticipates $65,283,847 in funding.

It is the second year of declining enrollment for the district, which saw 66 fewer students last year for its mid-September “weighted” enrollment. The numbers are provided to the state and are the basis for much of the funding the district receives.

Jeff Zander, the district's assistant superintendent of finance, said the district made budget adjustments in July of about $2,057,000 which will hopefully compensate for the majority of the reduction in state funding. He said there is still the possibility Gov. Jim Gibbons could request additional reductions before the end of this fiscal year. There has been talk of additional 14 percent budget cuts for the next two years.

Prior to last year's drop, the district had seen steady growth for three years as the price of gold rose and boosted the local economy. The drop to about 9,323 students comes despite the fact gold is selling for about $900 per ounce.

Cavanaugh said it isn't clear what caused the drop in enrollment. The district will augment its budget in December to account for the loss in funding. Staffing adjustments have already been made based on enrollment. The district's board of trustees will likely discuss the budget issue in coming meetings.

“These are not good times for education,” she said. “We have to work through this and do the best we can in maintaining a quality of service to our children.”

Last year, the hit to the district's budget was softened by the state's “hold harmless” protection - which allowed it to use higher student levels from the prior year for budgetary purposes. That protection is not available this year. The district budgeted for about 18 more students this year, but instead saw 142 fewer.

Moreover, state funding per student dropped from $7,128 per student to $7,002 after the Legislature's special session, which reduced textbook requirements.

Schools with significant enrollment decreases include Sage Elementary (14 fewer students), West Wendover Elementary (37 fewer), Jackpot Elementary (16 fewer), Spring Creek Middle School (18 fewer), Spring Creek High School (43 fewer) and Elko High School (11 fewer).

Enrollment declined at all four of Elko's elementaries due in part to fifth- and sixth-grade students now attending Flag View Intermediate.

Only one school had an enrollment increase of more than six students: West Wendover Junior/Senior High School, which had 19 more students.

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