News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Elementary school grades kindergarten through sixth had a total enrollment of 545, the same as last year. The middle/high school increased from 555 to 588. Superintendent Steve Swisher said the enrollment as of last Friday is the number filed with the state. The enrollment is then factored into the formula used to determine state financial support to the district.
Swisher said the school is operating on an estimated enrollment of 1,092, a figure filed with the state last spring.
Swisher said that if the enrollment holds through the quarter, the district can expect an increase in state school support of about $40,000 in April. He said there is no reason to expect enrollment to drop.
Dramatic drops in enrollment usually occur as a result of the closure of a major employer, such as lumber mill. Since Sisters has no companies with a large number of employees, the potential for sudden, major losses of population probably will not occur.
School district officials are watching with concern, however, Ballot Measure 47, coming up in the November 5 general election. Whether the $40,000 is an increase in the overall budget or a small token to help offset potential losses depends on the outcome of the election.
The ballot measure would require local governments to cut property tax revenue to the 1995-96 levy, less 10 percent, or the 1994-95 level, depending on which is less.
If Ballot Measure 47 passes, the district will lose $656,559 in tax revenue from an operating budget of a little less than $5.6 million. Nearly half of that loss would be made up, however, by increases in state school support, not counting the $40,000, putting the net loss as a result of the ballot measure at $361,995, according to a research report published by the Legislative Revenue Office in Salem.
While state support is expected to increase because of the boost in the number of students, the enrollment increase at the middle/high school already has caused some classroom crowding. The district is renting additional classrooms in the neighboring Baptist church, a move made at the outset of the school year.
Other than that, Swisher said, no dramatic adjustments have been necessary.
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