MUNCIE – Muncie Community Schools expect to lose millions in state funding over the next two years, but it could have been worse.
In the state’s new $31.5 billion budget, which will begins July 1, K-12 education will receive an increase of about $464 million over the next two years, The Indianapolis Star reported.
However, Muncie is expected to lose about $2,750,000 during that time, compared to the current budget.
MCS CFO Mark Burkhart said the district’s declining enrollment is the cause for the loss in funding.
The state pays all school districts a set base amount for each student. In 2016, schools will receive $4,967 per student. The budget estimates that MCS will lose more than 300 students by 2016, a figure calculated using a five-year average.
Burkhart said that the district lost more students then usual last year when the high schools consolidated, but typically it only loses about 100 students in a year. This could mean the district ends up with a little more money than expected in the state budget.
A school district receives additional money from the state if it qualifies for other grants based on its demographics. This includes extra money for students living in poverty or in special education programs. For MCS, the extra money for students in poverty makes up a large part of its budget.
In the past, the amount of money a school receives was based on the number of kids that qualify for free and reduced lunch.