Enrollment up, reserves up at Decorah schools

Preliminary enrollment figures indicate Decorah Schools enrollment is up to 1693 from 1669 last year. That is good news for funding, but the funding will not actually feed into Decorah until next year. Final reconciling of numbers will continue for several weeks.

In other good financial news, the Certified Annual Report to the Decorah Community School Board showed an increase of $550,6611 to the unreserved, undesignated general fund balance. The "solvency ratio" also increased to 13.80 percent, from 11.38. That number is calculated by dividing the unreserved, undesignated general fund balance by the actual/total revenues of the district. The solvency ratio (above 10 is considered healthy) is a major indicator of district financial stability and important as the district moves into the potential of bonding for new elementary facilities.

In less positive financial news, the 2016-17 financial cost for transportation increased. The cost per mile increased from $4.05 to $4.57 per mile; the average cost per pupil increased from $513.39 to $609.44.  Salaries, increased gas prices and bus costs fed into that increase. It is hoped that the Transportation Equity Bill will pass through the Iowa Legislature to help offset costs, but that remains in doubt.