St. Joseph school board reviews enrollment decline and approves tax anticipation note

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV)-- The St. Joseph School Board of Education met Monday with several key items on the agenda, including a look at enrollment across the district. 

Superintendent Ashly McGinnis presented enrollment data dating back to 1991 and continuing through 2026. The numbers show a consistent decline in enrollment over the years. 

McGinnis said preliminary numbers show the district currently has between 9,500 and 9,600 students in grades K-12. 

The district’s official enrollment count takes place on the last Wednesday of September. McGinnis said the official numbers are expected later this week. 

She also highlighted preliminary enrollment numbers for the district’s high schools. Benton High School currently has 895 students.  

 “That is similar to where they were in 2013 and Central high school is at 1858 which is 123 students more than 2 years ago,” McGinnis added.  

As part of the meeting, board members voted on whether to approve or reject items listed under the action items portion of the agenda. 

One of those items is a tax anticipation note, or TAN, resolution which was approved by the board members.  

The resolution would allow the district to move forward with securing a short-term loan to help cover expenses this fall.  

A TAN is used to cover expenses during October and November, before the district receives most of its local property tax revenue in December and January. 

Local revenue makes up about 55% of the district’s total revenue.

The next meeting is on Monday, Oct. 12 at the Troester Media Center.