Culpeper County Public Schools will receive nearly $900,000 less in projected state funding this school year based on the school division’s student enrollment figures and the state’s recently adjusted average daily membership calculations.
Jeff Shomo, CCPS finance director, explained the shortfall to the Culpeper County School Board during Monday’s meeting.
CCPS had 189 more students than the budgeted 7,231 as of the March 31 deadline. The school division’s projected average daily membership (ADM) target was 7,420.
When school systems end up with more students than expected, they typically receive more money from the state.
But that’s not the case this year. School Board Chairman George Dasher said state officials lowered the ADM allocations earlier this year, causing this year’s $894,654 shortfall.
The state issues funding to schools based on its ADM, which is established on student enrollment. For each student, Culpeper County receives about $4,728, according to Dasher.
While student enrollment can fluctuate daily, ADM figures derive from the 130-day period students are in school from Sept. 30 to March 31.
Whenever ADM projections are off by the March 31 deadline, the state makes up the difference in its bi-monthly funding either by adding or subtracting from the revenue distributed to schools in April, May and June.
Shomo told the board that he’s not surprised by this recent financial loss.
“These numbers look huge and whatnot, but we have been planning for this shortfall since early on,” Shomo told the board.
According to Shomo’s figures, CCPS’s fiscal year 2010 operating budget is $72.6 million, but the school division faces a $1.4 million shortfall in state and federal revenue. Shomo also expects to receive $651,162 less in federal funding this year. He added that local funding is balanced so far this year.
Dasher applauded Shomo for taking the initiative and diverting last-minute budget woes for school board members.
“I commend Mr. Shomo and his staff for the job that they’re doing and managing this ledger,” said Dasher. “The fact that we’re looking at a $1.5 million shortfall in revenue and you have anticipated this and prepared for it or otherwise we would be in a scramble trying to get money at the end of the year.”
Dasher added that school officials started aggressively “cost-cutting” by delaying certain purchases, saving nearly $600,000 in the last three months.
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