USD 308 board lines up construction bidders ahead of bond vote as enrollment falls 4.2%

Hutchinson's USD 308 board unanimously approved security, staffing and construction-planning steps Monday, Sept. 28, lining up three firms to bid as construction manager so work can start quickly if voters approve the district's $36 million bond.

The board selected Wiens Construction, Hutton Construction and Simpson Construction to receive requests for proposals as construction manager at risk, a contracting method in which a single firm is hired early to manage a project's construction. Superintendent Dawn Johnson said that if the bond fails, the district has no commitment to a construction manager and the firms will not be paid. The Kansas State Board of Education approved the district's bond application in September; the district's account of the meeting does not give the date of the bond election or say which projects the money would fund.

The board approved $132,611 to replace the district's security video storage system, which the district said allows for growth as its needs change and has an anticipated lifespan of eight years. On the consent agenda, members also approved $24,365.19 to replace vape detectors at Hutchinson High School through INA Alert, a purchase made through Greenbush, which is on the state-approved bid list, and funded by the Safe and Secure Schools grant.

The board approved an Elementary Teacher Pipeline Initiative presented by Deputy Superintendent Krystal Young, including a request for six positions. Young said the district needs mid-year hires to replace long-term substitutes, and that hiring December graduates gives new teachers the chance to grow into their roles over the rest of the school year. She will attend the Kansas State University College of Education Roundup in October as part of the initiative. Young said grant funding may cover four of the new hires; the district's account of the meeting does not identify the grant, the cost of the positions or how the other two would be paid.

Johnson also reported the district's official Sept. 20 enrollment count at 3,929 students, down 172, or 4.2%, from last year's 4,101. The district said it expected the drop, which comes largely from the gap between the Class of 2026's 357 graduates and a kindergarten class of 242. The Sept. 20 headcount largely determines how much state funding a Kansas district receives for the entire school year, though the state lets districts budget on the prior year's enrollment to soften an immediate decline. The count is not final until the district's annual enrollment audit in summer 2027. Kansas public school enrollment has fallen about 3% since 2019-20, a decline the Kansas Association of School Boards attributes mainly to falling birth rates and more people leaving the state than moving in. The state's 2023 birth rate of 11.6 births per 1,000 residents was the lowest on record.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, at the USD 308 Administration Center, 1520 N. Plum.

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