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PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Enrollments in eastern Kentucky public school districts are falling as the region continues its economic struggles amid a declining coal industry.
The issue has a direct impact on school funding. The largest factor determining how much money a public school gets from the state is its average adjusted daily attendance.
Two independent groups, the Council on Better Education and the University of Kentucky's Center for Innovation in Education, are studying the state's Support Education Excellence in Kentucky funding program, also referred to as SEEK.
A draft of the Council on Better Education's study by the consulting firm Piccus Odden & Associates suggested the state could use the greater of a three-year rolling attendance average to give districts more time to adjust to declines in funding while not penalizing districts that are growing.
"Another thing would be to potentially look at how you could set some minimum funding levels so that small schools in small districts were not impacted as heavily from the loss of enrollment," said Tom Shelton, superintendent of Fayette County Schools and president of the Council on Better Education.
Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear said population fluctuations are one of many issues school districts face, "especially when some funding is tied to student counts."
"I am awaiting the findings of these studies, and feedback from the Kentucky Board of Education, before considering what, if any, changes we should consider in our current school funding formula," Beshear said.
Here is a list of public school districts in eastern Kentucky and the number of students they have gained (+) or lost (-) since the 1999-00 school year:
Ashland Independent: -282 students
Barbourville Independent: +5 students
Bath County: +199 students
Bell County: -296 students
Boyd County: -250 students
Breathitt County: -509 students
Carter County: -113 students
Clay County: -931 students
Elliott County: -221 students
Fairview Independent: +227 students
Fleming County: -149 students
Floyd County: -1,267 students
Greenup County: -396 students
Harlan County: -1,153 students
Harlan Independent: -131 students
Hazard Independent: -90 students
Jackson County: -258 students
Jackson Independent: -32 students
Jenkins Independent: -104 students
Johnson County: -46 students
Knott County: -777 students
Knox County: -577 students
Laurel County: +820 students
Lawrence County: -436 students
Lee County: -324 students
Leslie County: -531 students
Letcher county: -568 students
Lewis County: -195 students
Magoffin County: -497 students
Martin County: -623 students
Menifee County: -9 students
Middlesboro Independent: -502 students
Montgomery County: +974 students
Morgan County: -313 students
Owsley County: -204 students
Paintsville Independent: +72 students
Perry County: -754 students
Pike County: -1,746 students
Pikeville Independent: -86 students
Pineville Independent: -156 students
Powell County: -258 students
Raceland Worthington Independent: +83 students
Rowan County: +102 students
Russell Independent: -28 students
Whitley County: -168 students
Williamsburg Independent: +2 students
Wolfe County: -113 students
Total gain/loss: -12,609 students
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