WTA STUDY: GRANTON, GREENWOOD SCHOOLS HAVE PROBLEMS
Friday, October 28th, 2005 -- 8:33 AM
A new Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance report highlights school districts that may be ?at risk?.In light of the Florence County School Board?s vote to dissolve the district as of July 1, 2006, WTA looked at several district characteristics that indicate financial health.
The WTA study shows enrollment trends, district density, revenue-limit changes, fund balance trends, state aid and property taxes are the most important indicators in determining what schools are heading to a fiscal crisis. The report also notes when problems in ?multiple areas? are found, they could be a harbinger of things to come.
The good news: no Clark County schools are listed as having problems in multiple areas of the study; however, two are noted as having some problems.
Granton Area Schools is listed as having the state?s fifth largest drop in enrollment from the 2000 to the 2005 school years. Granton?s enrollment dropped from 372 to 290 during that period ? that?s a loss of 22-percent. WTA says enrollment is a key factor in a school?s financial health as a three-year average of enrollments is used to calculate a district?s total revenue limits.
The report also highlights Greenwood as having one of the largest drops in fund balances from the 1999 to 2004 school years. Greenwood?s fund balances dropped from over $1-million to $607-thousand ? a drop of 43-percent.
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