CHENEY — The Cheney School District is projecting its fund balance to fluctuate this year, with peaks in October and April when property taxes are collected, but significant drops from November through February.
At the Cheney School Board meeting on Oct. 9, District Finance Director Jamie Reed reported a fund balance of $7,849,749 for September, noting the district’s plan to rely less on federal funding.
Reed also pointed out that the district is focusing more on the months when funds are lower rather than year-end figures. “We should focus on the parts of the year where the fund balance is lower,” she said. The balance is expected to drop to just over $6 million in December before slowly rising again.
The fund balance has grown in recent years, from just under $5 million in 2021-22 to just under $12 million in April of 2024, largely due to property taxes. However, the district expects a lower balance in 2024-25 compared to the previous year from March to August.
Reed also noted an increase in student enrollment from September to October, rising from a conservative estimate of 5,161 students to 5,246. This jump is significant as school funding is tied to enrollment numbers.
Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.
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