Minutes 01-16-2026 - Retreat - Laserfiche WebLink

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26 Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if the same number of staff are needed even if there are less students. Travis Myren said that's a question for the districts. Commissioner Bedford said that's what Dr. Trice is looking at. Commissioner McKee said it was decreased in the past due to economic conditions. Commissioner Bedford said a decreasing student population is new to commissioners, and changing the funding method is a different idea to consider. Chair Hamilton said in an environment of declining enrollment, does the county want to change its funding practices. She said even with declining students, the schools may not have declining expenses. She said they would want the schools to address how they've right sized their staff to match enrollment, and to express the needs they still have after that process. Vice-Chair Fowler agreed and wanted the schools to show their actual needs in their continuation budget. She said it may not mean giving them an increase of 3% as shown on the slide. Kirk Vaughn said staff have had preliminary conversations with school staff. He said there are fixed costs for operating a school. He said much of this will come down to communication about the actual needs for the student, not for their expenditure base. Slide #24 County Funding Practices In order to capture enrollment trends, the continuation budget could be calculated based on an increase to the per pupil amount instead of the prior year current expense Current Practice Per Pupil Approach Prior Year Current Expense $111,328,011 Prior Year Per Pupil $5,877 3%Increase $114,667,851 3%Increase $6,053 Total Budgeted Students 18,420 Total Budgeted Students 18,420 Total Per Pupil Amount $6,225 Total Current Expense $111,496,260 Changing the calculation does not have to change the amount that the county funds The model currently assumes that the budget will include a 5.92%per-pupil cost increase for the school districts ORANGE COUNTY 24 NORTH CAROLINA