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Growth of Lee schools a confusing numbers game
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The Lee County school district is expecting 2,600 new students next year.
Or is it 2,000 students?
Or 1,200 students?
District officials have been put in a spin perpetrated by a state system that estimates the number of students Lee County should expect next school year by looking at two-year-old enrollment figures.
Two years ago, the district grew by thousands of students. But this year, it grew by only 600, having lost hundreds of students mid-year in the largest student exodus the district has ever seen.
Though Superintendent James Browder said his staff estimates student growth for next year will be somewhere around 1,250 — just as it was for most of the 1980s — he said the state gives them eight options and the smallest one was a growth of 2,000 students. That’s the option they took.
To make matters worse, the 2,000 student growth estimate was based on a student head count done in October. Since then, the district has lost an additional 600 students, making the overall expected growth to be 2,600 students.
The estimate the district chose will determine how much funding it receives from the state. Because the district does not expect nearly that many new students, it will set aside somewhere around $9 million that will eventually have to be given back to the state.
Nonetheless, Browder said that is a better option than having somebody else hold on to Lee County’s money.
“We choose to take the money up front,” Browder said. “It’s much easier for us to handle our money than someone else.”
Budget Director Ami Desamours said setting the bar high prevents the district from having to wait for extra money, should student growth climb beyond the estimate. If it does, the district may have to wait months for the missing money to come in.
“You don’t want to paint yourself into a corner,” Desamours said, “because you have to wait for that money.”
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$1.19 BILLION dollar budget people. they are definately talking chump change. tell us where all the rest of the REAL money is/goes. blasted this gets tiring. i guess they figure they will dazzle us with a few bucks lost and we will feel bad. isn't this like getting two $10 bills stuck together when you give it to the station attendant? bummer but not something to ruin your life over, or tell everyone you don't know "how am i going to survive, what about my kids!".
these school dristrict supers and over paid Budget Directors deserve the Acadamy Award. Drama Queens!
.01% (or less)from their golden budget.
#1 Posted by mimibuck on May 6, 2008 at 6:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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