By IVY BICE
MOUNT AYR, Iowa – Declining enrollment and its potential impact on the district’s financial future were among the topics discussed during the Mount Ayr Community School District Board of Education meeting Monday, Nov. 9.
During the superintendent’s report, the board reviewed the district’s annual financial health information and enrollment trends, which showed a continued decline in the number of resident students. According to the report, the district has lost more than 100 resident students over the past 11 years. Since 2019, enrollment has decreased by approximately 65 students, with about 45 students lost in the past two years alone. Superintendent Jason Shaffer attributed much of the recent decline to larger graduating classes being replaced by smaller incoming classes.
Looking ahead, the district is projecting continued enrollment challenges, which could impact the amount of funding available to operate the district. Enrollment is one of the primary factors used to determine the district’s spending authority, while staffing remains the district’s largest expense. The district’s financial report showed a solvency ratio of 21 percent, with approximately $2 million in un-designated and unreserved funds available after obligations are accounted for. Shaffer explained that these funds provide a financial cushion for unexpected expenses and help the district maintain flexibility from year to year.
The district also reviewed its current unspent balance, which Shaffer described as remaining in a healthy range. The district’s established target for its unspent balance is between 5-25 percent. Despite the district’s current financial position, declining enrollment is beginning to place additional pressure on its budget.
The district is entering its second consecutive year under the state’s budget guarantee. For the current year, the district is working with approximately $110,000 less than it had the previous year. Shaffer said the district will need to be strategic when considering staffing changes and filling positions as they become available. Rather than automatically replacing positions, the district may need to evaluate whether certain positions should be filled based on enrollment and available funding.
The board also discussed how declining enrollment could affect the district’s athletic programs. Based on current enrollment projections, Mount Ayr will be eligible to classify its football program as eight-man football beginning next year. The district would remain eligible for that classification for the following eight years. The superintendent said the district could choose to play up in a larger classification but would not be able to opt for a lower classification once the decision is made. Further discussion will be needed before any decision is reached.
Eighth-grade athletic participation
The board also spent considerable time discussing changes to the district’s student activity participation policy, specifically how eighth-grade students can participate in high school athletic programs. The proposed policy language addresses situations in which eighth-grade students may move up to participate at the high school level and establishes an exception for unusual circumstances.
Under the district’s existing approach, students who move up to a high school athletic program remain at that level instead of moving back and forth between middle school and high school teams. The additional language would allow the district some flexibility in unusual circumstances, such as injuries or illness that leave a varsity team without enough players to compete.
Board members, administrators and coaches discussed concerns about how moving students between levels could affect playing time, practice schedules, middle school teams and students participating in multiple sports. Some board members also emphasized the importance of communication with parents throughout the process, particularly when students are being considered for participation at the high school level. Administrators explained that the district had not yet identified specific students who would be moving up but acknowledged that communication with parents would be an important part of the process.
After discussion, the board approved the policy revisions as presented. The approved language maintains the expectation that students who move up remain at the high school level, while allowing limited movement in unusual circumstances to help preserve varsity competition.
In other district business, the board heard a proposal for a Washington, D.C., educational trip for students in grades eighth through 11th. The district is looking at organizing the trip every other year, with the first proposed trip planned for 2028. Students would be responsible for the cost of their own travel, while staff members would serve as chaperones. Parents would also have the opportunity to attend. The proposed trip would include educational opportunities and behind-the-scenes access to locations in Washington, D.C., that may not be available to the general public.
High school Principal Josh Vanderflught said the district previously organized a similar trip and would like to provide students with the opportunity on a recurring basis.
The board also approved an early graduation request, along with updates to district policies addressing student attendance, chronic absenteeism, disruptive behavior, student activities, student health, technology use and financial management.
