Enrollment in Brown County Schools is up compared to last fall, but that is not translating into more money to run the district.

In fact, it’s about $31,000 less per month.

In the general population, the district is up 11 students over September’s total.

But the net loss is because of fewer special education students, for which the district receives more state money in “tuition support.”

A December count of special education students showed 22 fewer than last year, resulting in $373,584 less coming to the district’s general fund from the state.

The district receives $8,800 for students with severe disabilities. For students with mild to moderate disabilities, the district receives $2,300. Special education preschool students bring in $2,750 each.

Students with communication disorders who receive speech and language services or are homebound result in $500 each for the district’s general fund.

That’s the fund used to pay teacher and staff salaries.

But the district has plans to recoup lost dollars.

Plans include establishing more career and technical education courses in the school buildings, for which the district can receive special reimbursement.

District leaders also are taking a hard look at whether jobs need to be filled when they come open, Superintendent Laura Hammack said.

She said she is “cautiously optimistic” about the enrollment increase.

She said that the trend is for the district to have a higher student enrollment in February than in September, when the two official “count days” are scheduled by the state.

“We’ve been blessed by not as many moving out at this time of year as those moving in,” she said.

Contributing factors

Enrollment was looking even higher before mid-semester high school graduates were taken into account.

If they were still in school now, the increase in students between September and February would have been 25.

Hammack said that factor will be taken into account when the district looks at budgeting for next year.

“We don’t ever want to deny students the ability to access their educational options — which a mid-semester graduation is a great option for some kids — but we need to be more mindful. We need to plan for that number,” Hammack said.

She said there could be many reasons behind the drop in special education students, and one could be that early interventions are working to decrease the need for special education.

Hammack said the continual drop in the general student population could also mean fewer special education students. On the count day last September, the district had about 100 students fewer students since the previous fall.

Graduation also could be a factor.

In last school year’s 12th-grade class, 22 students were identified with a specific learning disability. In the Dec. 1 count, that number dropped to 12.

Getting dollars back

For the 2017-18 school year, the junior high’s Project Lead the Way engineering course will be replaced with a course that allows the district to receive reimbursement from the state. The new class also will allow eighth-graders to earn high school credit.

This is not the only course district leaders have identified that is eligible for career and technical education funding.

Leaders also are looking at whether or not every open job needs to be filled: “Can we be creative with this one and try to still meet the needs of our boys and girls, but trying to respond to the less number of students with the less number of staff?’” Hammack said.

For example, this school year a junior high library assistant position was filled by a paraprofessional already working in the building. The physical education teacher job at Helmsburg and Sprunica elementary schools was filled by a paraprofessional instead of a certified teacher.

The assistant superintendent job also was not filled after the death of former Dennis Goldberg. Hammack said Bob Harris from Educational Services Co. works a couple of days a week under a contract to help the district with its budget, and the district still saves money that way.

Leaders are also looking at using money from the district’s healthier funds to pay for other staffing, Hammack said.

“If we can find ways that transportation can pick up a percentage of a bus monitor salary, then that’s something we would like to do,” she said.

“(We’re) looking at every single position in this district and really trying to make sure that we’re pulling from the appropriate revenue streams.”

Bringing students in

One way the district is working to expand enrollment is marketing all that Brown County Schools has to offer.

A marketing team continues to meet; its next open meeting will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 28 at the high school.

Hammack said the district is trying to “invite people in” in various ways.

On the school’s website are interviews with building principals and Hammack.

The district is also trying to let the public know of all the “unique” course offerings, especially those related to technology, science, engineering and math.

“When folks visit our facilities, they are amazed at how incredible they are,” Hammack said.

Retired high school technology teacher Tom Baker is working on a video that shows the community all the happenings in Chris Townsend’s new engineering and robotic labs.

The junior high school also is pursuing a certification in STEM technology from the Indiana Department of Education, which Hammack believes will help with marketing to potential students. That might also lead to other schools being STEM-certified, she said.

“There’s only eight in the state, so this will be a big deal for us,” she said of STEM-certified schools.

Sports offerings and winning sports records also help, she said.

“Athletics absolutely, absolutely market a district. When you’ve got a strong, competitive, winning team, be it any sport really, that’s something people notice, and when your program might not necessarily be a winning program, it’s something people notice too, but not necessarily for the right reasons,” Hammack said.

“We are very, very much committed to getting our programs strong.”

Last month the school board approved adding four track and field coaches at the intermediate, junior high and high school levels.

The intermediate school also offers competitive basketball and volleyball.

“Not all districts offer travel fifth- and sixth-grade programming like we’re able to offer, so that has just been a wonderful addition,” she said.

The marketing team also has created an exit survey to learn more about why families decide to leave the district, Hammack said.

It could take a few years before marketing results are really seen in a sustained, increased enrollment, she said.

“I was advised, ‘Don’t expect instant results because you’re working really hard to try to get these things going. But it will happen if you remain committed to that work.’

“We’re committed to that work, that’s for sure,” Hammack said.

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Student enrollment is counted twice each year: Once in September and February.

At the beginning of this school year, Brown County Schools had 1,867.53 students. Preschoolers and homeschoolers who take a couple classes in public school count as less than a full student.

February counts:

2016-17 school year: 1,878.53 students

2015-16 school year: 1,928.14 students

2014-15 school year: 1,902.5 students

2013-14 school year: 1,949.65 students

2012-13 school year: 1,939.39 students

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