Brighton Superintendent Eyes 10% Fund Equity in Two YearsBrighton Superintendent Eyes 10% Fund Equity in Two Years

9/24/13 - Brighton School Superintendent Greg Gray is projecting an all-time high enrollment of about 7,300 students for this fall, when combining in-house students with those enrolled in the shared services program. Brighton’s enrollment for the 2012-13 academic year was only about 6,100, and district enrollment has been declining steadily, so the question is how such a huge increase could be accomplished in just one year. Gray says it is the success of two programs – primarily shared services but also Schools of Choice – that is causing the big gain. He says the actual k-12 enrollment in district buildings is only expected to be around 6,000 when the numbers are tabulated. But this year Brighton has added 906 new students to the shared services program, in which students from private and parochial schools can take classes through public school districts that offer them. With the shared services students from last year who have re-enrolled, the total is now between 1,300 and 1,400 full-time equivalent students from shared services for this year. The bottom line after the 40% in costs are deducted is $6 million in state aid revenue for the district. Another program, Schools of Choice, has attracted the most students ever – over 625 – which amounts to over $4 million in revenue. Schools of Choice allows kids from other area districts to enroll in the school of their choice, with the district realizing full state aid for that student. As a result of the influx of new revenue, Gray is optimistic that Brighton may be able to erase the legacy deficit of around $8 million by the end of the current fiscal year and even have some fund equity in a couple of years. Gray says other programs have also been doing well, too, including "The Bridge" alternative high school – which has about 100 students again this year – and the Brighton Virtual Academy, an online program which has 16 students enrolled this year, triple the amount last year, its first year. Gray is optimistic that the legacy deficit, which now stands at about $8 million, will be eliminated by the end of the fiscal year and is now talking of a potential fund equity of about 10% in two years. (TT)