Despite enrollment decline, Crozier indicates school district in strong position financially

MONONA — Despite an enrollment decline of more than 12 percent in the past 10 years, MFL MarMac School District Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier said the district remains in a strong position financially.

The District suffered its ninth certified enrollment decline in the past 10 years in 2017-18 as families continue to get smaller in northeast Iowa. Crozier said this year’s decline of nearly 20 students was softened a bit as the district had a gain in open enrollment numbers, resulting in a net loss of 12 students. He said the loss is significant, as each student brings in about $7,000 in state aid. The 1 percent supplementary state aid increase closed the gap, though the district still stood to lose about $27,000 if not for the budget guarantee.

“The good news is that we got 1 percent and kudos that we got anything at all,” Crozier said. “The bad thing is that we lost enrollment that’s a greater loss.”

The budget guarantee allows districts that lose more money through enrollment decline than they gain through a supplementary state aid increase to make up some of their loss for a single year.

“We’ll actually get about four-tenths of a percent of new money when it’s all said and done,” he said. “It’s about $30,000, approximately. That’s better than losing $50,000!”

For more of this story see the March 21 Monona Outlook.