Humboldt Student Count, State Aid Grows

The declining student trend that's hurting Iola is helping Humboldt, where some new students moving into the district after school started are giving school board members a little cushion in the budget for the current year. By the time of the official count date last fall, Humboldt's enrollment was 528 full-time students. The budget was built based on 495. That means the district will receive, in the form of those school-aid payments the state has deposited late the last six months, and extra 84-thousand dollars it had not budgeted for. Using that money requires a formal amendment to the budget, which has two months left. That amendment is to be published this week and ready for approval by the May board meeting or a special meeting before then.