BULLHEAD CITY – The Bullhead City School District governing board approved a localized plan Friday to address declining enrollments, while at the same time maintaining strong financial reserves.
Under the plan, a total of 22 positions will be eliminated or consolidated through attrition (retirements and resignations), vacancies and layoffs. Ten are currently budgeted but unfilled; two positions will be cut following retirements. Ten remaining positions will be cut when the new fiscal year starts July 1; those employees are eligible to apply for other positions or reassignments that open.
BCSD Superintendent Carolyn Stewart told the board that the cuts, which include both personnel and other operations, are over $1 million from the current $18 million budget. They were necessitated by a combination of declining enrollment, lower birthrates, grants that have ended, and unfunded federal and state mandates. Additionally, Arizona public school budgets are required by law to be submitted prior to knowing what legislative school funding packages have been finalized and signed into law.
“There are school districts in Arizona that are losing more students than our entire enrollment,” Stewart said. “Campuses are closing elsewhere, and other districts are on the Arizona Auditor General’s financial risk watchlist – we are not. Our actions are proactive, to maintain BCSD’s financial strength.
“It is important to remember that even with school choice, a majority of students in our area still attend public schools,” she added. “Despite some staffing cuts, we are continuing to focus on renewed academic rigor.”
There are currently six schools in the district, educating students from pre-kindergarten through junior high school. One BCSD population that continues to grow is that of special education students, who require specially trained staff for all levels of abilities and disabilities.
Many public school district enrollments have declined since the COVID pandemic. BCSD has lost more than 375 students since the 2021-2022 school year, with another projected drop of more than 100 students in the 2026-2027 school year. In recent years, any need to eliminate positions was handled through attrition.
Overall, Arizona per pupil funding remains well below that of other states, including neighboring districts in Nevada and California.
Since fiscal year 2021, BCSD’s local property tax rate has gone down every year, and it is projected to do so again next year.
BCSD is approaching its 80th anniversary. There are currently 310 full and part-time employees, with 288 expected to start the new school year. The district’s payroll and purchasing “multiplier effect” still generate tens of millions of dollars in local economic impacts throughout the Tri-State area.
The school board meeting may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RA0K3dqjd8
