In normal years, the state distributes funding based on both enrollment and attendance, Pate said. For each student, the district receives about $7,000 and could receive more based on special circumstances, such as if the student is economically disadvantaged or dyslexic.
A 3% decrease in average daily attendance compared to last school year paired with lower enrollment could have cost the district millions of dollars in state funding. This news gives the district some breathing room as they continue to track down the more than 2,000 students who did not re-enroll this school year, Superintendent Jeannie Stone said.
The district has been in contact with TEA officials to emphasize the importance of continued funding, Stone said.
“The work that we're doing to really have our voices heard, to make sure that our legislators and the state is responding to the needs of the district can yield some real benefits for the district,” she said.
