{"id":15095,"date":"2023-02-17T09:30:09","date_gmt":"2023-02-17T15:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.risd.org\/home\/?p=15095"},"modified":"2023-02-21T10:15:03","modified_gmt":"2023-02-21T16:15:03","slug":"trustees-continue-budget-planning-demographer-projects-potential-enrollment-decline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.risd.org\/home\/trustees-continue-budget-planning-demographer-projects-potential-enrollment-decline\/","title":{"rendered":"Demographer Projects Potential Enrollment Decline","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At the Feb. 16 regular meeting, RISD trustees continued 2023-24 budget planning discussions, beginning with the annual update of demographic projections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2023 demographic update<\/a> was provided by Davis Demographics. Overall, if current factors that impact enrollment remain unchanged, the update projects a decrease of approximately 4,000 resident students over the next five years. According to the Texas Commissioner of Education, overall school enrollment in Texas is expected to decline over the next decade, primarily due to lower birth rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other current factors that could impact RISD enrollment projections include current economic conditions and the high cost of housing, both single and multi-family, which can impact a family\u2019s ability to afford a residence within RISD. As a landlocked district that is primarily built out, RISD is not projected to receive substantial numbers of additional resident students through current new housing development projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis demographic update is an important one for RISD, and it\u2019s something we need to carefully consider,\u201d said Superintendent Tabitha Branum.  \u201cIf these projections eventually prove accurate, we are looking at potentially significant impacts to our budget, district, and school operations if we don\u2019t consider more steps to attract and retain additional students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the Texas school finance system, student enrollment is the primary factor that determines school district revenue. Previous budget planning discussions<\/a> so far have also identified a need for RISD to attract and retain additional students. RISD commissions an annual demographic update to assist with long term decisions related to enrollment, budget planning, facilities, and programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs we have seen over the years, these are projections and not set in stone,\u201d said Branum. \u201cYet to me it is another indicator that we as a district must consider innovative programs and steps to not only retain our current families, but encourage additional families to choose RISD.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trustees then reviewed information presented by Assistant Supt. of Finance David Pate, which included 2023-24 budget challenges related to reduced funding, excess district campus capacity, a larger staffing model, and ongoing efforts to remain competitive to recruit and retain quality teachers and staff. Other key points of the presentation included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n