ST. LOUIS — The Ferguson-Florissant School District has released an update on its ongoing financial crisis and is asking for the community's input.
Families, staff, and community members are encouraged to share their feedback by completing a survey by Thursday, March 14, at 10 a.m. The survey was sent to families, staff, and the community and can also be found on the website www.fergflor.org, according to a press release sent out by the district.
Despite reducing spending and making $1.4 million in cuts in February, the district said it is still facing a projected $7.7 million deficit for the next school year.
The district listed various factors contributing to the crisis, including:
- Declining Enrollment – Fewer students mean less state funding, a trend we’ve seen for over a decade
- Increased Hiring - Increased hiring for a number of staff positions and salaries over the years beyond the District’s original budget capacity
- Depleting Fund Balance - Continuing to use our fund balance to cover revenue losses without a strategic plan to address the shortfall
- Higher Costs – From staff health benefits to food, school supplies, and transportation, everything costs more
- Staffing Needs – Filling critical positions like nurses and food service workers has been tough, causing the District to use expensive staffing agencies
- Changes in State Funding – During the pandemic, Missouri provided schools with funding based on pre-pandemic attendance rates. That temporary relief is now gone, and funding is tied to current attendance, which has declined
- Reduced Local Tax Revenue – A drop in business and commercial tax contributions has further strained the budget
The Board of Education is also seeking community input to help guide decision-making while the focus remains on students, staff, and the broader school community.
