The North Kitsap School Board went over its enrollment projections for 2024-25 at its meeting Jan. 25, indicating a slight decline from this school year.

Overall enrollment full-time equivalent for 2024-25 represents a decline of approximately 0.8% from 2023-24, documents read. Elementary enrollment is projected to decline slightly and secondary enrollment is projected to remain flat. Kindergarten has declined annually for three years and that trend is expected to continue.

From 2007-15, enrollment was on the decline but prior to the COVID pandemic, the downward trend appeared to have flattened, per documents. The 2022-23 enrollment is 5,295, and next school year’s projected enrollment is 5,294, showing a continued relatively flat enrollment trend coming out of the pandemic.

Student FTE determines staff-allocated FTE and Materials, Supplies and Operating Costs allocation. Staff-allocated FTE determines state apportionment money. Student FTE also determines local levy limits ($3,419.69 per student FTE for 2024; 2024 and beyond will use post-pandemic actual enrollment; and enrollment flat or declining restricts Educational Programs and Operations Levy collection amounts).

The board also went over the budget process for 2024-25. Considerations include: fund balance will achieve board policy of not less than 5% with a goal of 7%; local levy collection for tax year 2025 will be limited by enrollment cap; short legislative session with limited support for K-12 is expected; and governor’s budget includes primarily inflationary-related items with a 3.8% state-funded salary increase, documents state.

Assumptions consist of expenses increasing while other revenue sources would be approximately unchanged. Both topics were management reports, which didn’t require approval from the board.