School enrollment estimate adjusted up by a couple of students

Though not all children had enrolled before the scheduled start of school on Thursday, Aug. 24, due to migrant status or other reasons, district staff reported an increase of two students over their enrollment estimates from last November, which will help with a very small increase in state funding.

A couple more students could add maybe $20,000 or so in state money to the overall $5 million school district operating budget.

The budget for the 2023-2024 school year is based on 263 students, however, after the updated enrollment estimate, that number has increased by two. Online enrollment was held Aug. 11, with in-person sign-up Aug. 14, providing the district more information to update its estimate.

Enrollment is “slightly higher than what was expected in November but down from what is normal for this time of year, as summer seasons are still in process,” Schools Superintendent Bill Burr said last week.

Updated enrollment projections are at 128 for Evergreen Elementary School, 68 for Stikine Middle School and 69 for the high school.

“There are students that will just not arrive when school starts,” Burr said. “We are doing the best we can to provide transcripts and note the enrollment change, but some will be last-minute additions or subtractions for the first two weeks of school,” and awaiting students out commercial fishing.

An increase in students means an increase in state funding for the district.

After Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a legislative appropriation in half, Wrangell is still in line to receive an additional 7% in state money, about $212,500, based on estimated enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year. The extra funding is a one-time appropriation; not an increase in the funding formula in state law.

“Our budget is based on 263 (students), so an increase in enrollment will bring more money in to the district (opposite, if less), but the BSA (base student allocation) remains the same,” Burr said. “However, we did get some one-time money ‘outside’ the BSA, which would also be affected by enrollment on a student-by-student basis.”