Projections show PAC enrollment plummeting
January 22, 2003

There will be some serious "number crunching" in many Iowa school districts during the next five years.

Not only are nearly 90 percent of the state's school districts facing declining enrollment, but come the 2004-05 school year, they will be paying for it — and then some.

That's when the 100-percent state funding guarantee expires. For the past half decade or so, school districts with declining enrollment have had a "saving grace" — the  promise of the same funding by the state as the previous year, even if they lost students.

That all ends in 2004-05, plus those districts receiving the guarantee in the past will have to pay back the money they have received under the guarantee.

During that time, PAC has received $245,826 from the guarantee. However, beginning in 2004-05, PAC's annual state aid will be reduced by approximately $25,000 per year over the next 10 years to pay back the guarantee.

Couple that with short-term school enrollment projections compiled by the Iowa Department of Education and the local district could see an annual reduction of approximately $170,000 in state funding.

PAC's student census (actual students in class, not budgeted enrollment) is 692 students for the 2002-03 school year. That figure is projected to drop by nearly 20 percent to 564 over the next five years.

During the current school term, the school district receives $4,862 for each student through a combination of state aid and property tax. A yearly enrollment decline of 30 students means a loss of $145,860 in state/property tax plus the $25,000 budget guarantee payback.

Barring a miracle (population and or industrial growth), the financial picture is more dismal after the 2007-08 school year. That's because PAC's largest two classes that year will be its 86 seniors and 85 juniors. The next largest class in 2007-08, according to projections, will be the 47-member sophomore class. Six of the 13 classes in 2007-08 are projected to number in the 30s and the fifth-grade class will have just 25 students.

According to the projections, PAC had 786 students during the 1993-94 school year. Comparing that with projections of 564 students in 2007-08, the district will have lost 28.3 percent of its student population.

PAC School directors, during their Jan. 13 regular monthly meeting, accepted the resignation of another longtime employee.

Head custodian/transportation director Dean Williams submitted his resignation effective at the end of his contract year. Williams has been employed with the district since 1970. Superintendent Dennis Pierce, however, told the board that Williams has expressed interest in remaining with the district on a part-time basis.

Kindergarten teacher Jill Rapp also submitted her resignation due to relocation in Woodbury County. Rapp has taught in the district for six years.

A proposal from Ed M. Feld Equipment Co., Inc. of Carroll, for new fire alarm systems in several district buildings was approved. The district recently received a $50,000 grant to cover the cost of replacing the fire alarm system in the high school, middle school gym and elementary school. The grant also will fund a communication monitoring system. Total cost of Feld's proposal is just over $48,000.

Finally, the board increased the price of the school yearbook from $27.00 to $32.00 effective next school year. Yearbook advisor Bill Strack requested the increase because the current fee was not covering costs. Strack also submitted a survey of yearbook costs in neighboring districts. Nearly all of the districts charged upwards of $35.00 for yearbooks.

    Directors meet again in regular session Monday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. at the Central Office.

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