Enrollment ebbs and flows year to year, and while figures are still very fluid with students coming and going almost daily, this year Parsons USD 503 is seeing a decline in enrollment.
Declines in student numbers seem to be the case for most Southeast Kansas districts from what USD 503 Superintendent Lori Perkins said she is hearing from area district administrators.
Continued downward trends in birth rates have their impacts. Perkins said the district graduated 90 seniors in May, but only 71 kindergartners enrolled this year.
During the next couple of weeks enrollment numbers are expected to remain fluid, given the transient population.
The official enrollment count, which the state uses to figure funding, will be taken Sept. 22 since Sept. 20 falls on a weekend. The district will report more on enrollment at that time.
Revenue neutral rate
The board held its special meeting as published to exceed the revenue neutral rate (RNR), however, the board took no action. The meeting was scheduled in July, when the budget was still being developed.
In Kansas, the revenue neutral rate is the mill levy rate at which the district would collect the same amount of property tax revenue as it did the year before. Because property values change year-toyear, a taxing entity like the district could pass a budget with the exact same mill levy rate as the year before and be able to collect more revenue because the value of the property went up. If viewed like a percentage, 10% of $1 million in 2024 property values gives the district $100,000; if the 2025 values go up to $1.2 million, that same 10% gives the district $120,000. In order to collect the same amount of money, i.e., to remain neutral, you would have to lower that percentage to 8.3334%. If you don’t lower the percentage (mill levy rate), you are thereby exceeding the RNR.
If they have not notified the county by July 20 of their intent to exceed the RNR, a district can’t go back and say they are going to exceed the rate. So, if there is uncertainty, it is best for a district to plan on notifying the county that they plan to exceed the rate and then forgo the action later if not necessary.
Perkins said once the budget was further developed it became clear the district would not be exceeding the revenue neutral rate, so no action was required by the board.
Horizontal curriculum alignment across grade levels will be the focus with the new
See 503, Page 2.
curriculum having been added. Curriculum alignment is a part of KESA accreditation.
Once curriculum is aligned across grade levels to ensure they are meeting state standards, focus will move to vertical alignment, and ensuring the flow of teaching to standards from one grade level to the next as a student progresses.
“It is a long process and should be a piece of professional development every year,” Assistant Superintendent Jeff Pegues said.
IN OTHER BUSINESS, the board: Accepted the resignations of district administrative/ HR assistant Amanda Riley effective Sept. 19; Patricia Kuffler, parttime high school custodian, effective Sept. 2; and preschool teacher Crystal Finley, effective Sept. 8.
Hired Skyller Hopper as middle school assistant volleyball coach; Jennifer Miller as middle school child nutrition staff; and Jeremy Stenstrom as middle school assistant football coach; Lori English as substitute bus monitor; and Megan Shiflett as substitute bus driver.
