Wrangell schools could receive at least a couple hundred thousand dollars less in state funding for the next school year, due to declining enrollment.
The community has seen a sharp decline in enrollment this year, likely due to homeschooling and correspondence schooling because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, about 200 students are enrolled in the district, according to a presentation at a school district town hall budget meeting Jan. 19. Historically, the district has counted about 300 students a year, said School Board President Aaron Angerman. The district is basing its 2021-2022 school year budget on a projected enrollment of 259.
"Looking at the numbers here, it seems the main category we're looking at significant reductions in is salaries, which of course means jobs for teachers and our community," School Board Member Laura Ballou said at the town hall.
"The biggest variable we don't know is the students who are currently homeschooling. Even if they don't plan to come back this year, are they willing to come back next year?" Ballou said, adding "a plea and appeal to any of these families to please reach out to the school district and let the school know your intentions for the fall."
State funding for schools is based on enrollment numbers collected each fall. "Literally, our teachers' jobs are on the line if we don't hear from you," Ballou said.
No action was taken at the school district's town hall meeting. A public hearing on the 2021-2022 budget is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1.
"If we could possibly reestablish normal enrollment, it would help provide fiscal and academic stability, and would affect the money we get from the state," Schools Superintendent Debbe Lancaster said.
"If we can do that, then we'll be able to be more consistent in our large-ticket items, which are salaries and benefits," she said. "We would be able to maintain a similar or close level of salaries and benefits, and that would actually help support our local economy."
State money, mostly under the per-student foundation formula program, comprises about 60% of the school district's total budget.
Total expenses in the district's three scenarios for next year are about $5.85 million, $5.55 million and $5.32 million, with the biggest differences found in less spending on salaries and employee benefits. All three budget scenarios would produce a significant deficit for the district, Lancaster said.
The district is looking at different ways to increase revenues and lower expenses, and the superintendent stressed that these are not real budgets but merely potential situations until the district knows more about enrollment and state funding.
Wrangell students enrolled in correspondence schools in other districts affect state funding, explained Erin Hardin, a special assistant at the Alaska Department of Education. Funding goes with the students, she said, based on each district's average daily enrollment. For example, if a student left the Wrangell School District and took correspondence courses with another Alaska district full time, that student would count toward the other district's funding.
There is a provision in the state funding formula that could help districts with declining enrollment, said Ketchikan Rep. Dan Ortiz, who also represents Wrangell. The hold-harmless
provision cushions the drop in state foundation funding, preventing a steep all-at-once decline.
That safety valve could hold the drop in state funding to Wrangell to about $200,000 next year, Ortiz said Tuesday. That would be less than half the cut if the hold-harmless provision were not in place.
The Department of Education has estimated the number at closer to $250,000 in reduced state funding for Wrangell next year.
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