FINANCIAL PICTURE — Uriah Cummings, school financial operations officer for the West Virginia Department of Education, addressed the crowd gathered for Monday’s meeting of the Hancock County Board of Education. -- Craig Howell

NEW CUMBERLAND — While an investigation into the downgrade of finances for Hancock County Schools isn’t yet complete, an official with the West Virginia Department of Education indicated the issue could be similar to problems experienced in other counties in the state.

A majority of Monday’s meeting of the Hancock County Board of Education was focused on the school district’s financial picture, following the board’s recent decision to terminate the employment of its former finance director and the revelation the district may have gone into the red during the last school year.

Uriah Cummings, school financial operations officer for the West Virginia Department of Education, addressed the school board and a large audience of concerned residents gathered at the John D. Rockefeller IV Career Center, offering some potential explanations of what led to the status.

“This is a statewide problem we’re facing,” Cummings said, indicating much of the issue can be traced to measures taken during the COVID pandemic.

In general, Hancock County Schools, as with other county systems in West Virginia, has experienced a declining student enrollment, mixed with having more staffing than is supported through the state’s school aid formula and available local taxes, and a loss of state and federal funds which were made available as a result of the pandemic.

CROWDED HOUSE — It was a packed gallery at Monday’s Hancock County Board of Education meeting, with residents attending with a hope to learn more about the school district’s financial issues. -- Craig Howell

Cummings pointed to a loss of approximately 450 students between 2021 and 2024, with an additional loss of 31 students for the current school year. He explained the district receives funding for approximately 72 professional educators and around 55 service positions for every 1,000 full-time students, as well as five professional support personnel – such as counselors – for every 1,000 students. Anything above those numbers must be funded through local revenue sources, such as excess levies as well as state or federal grants.

School officials previously reported the district has just under 3,300 students for the current school year, meaning funding from the state supports approximately 238 educators and 182 service positions. There are a total of 574 employees within the district.

“As enrollment declines … the county is seeing a decrease in that funding,” he said.

Cummings also noted the regular use of employee supplemental pay scales, something he said seemed to date back to better economic times for the area, as well as a stretch of several years where there were no reductions in force within the school district.

Reductions in unrestricted fund balances, which stood at $7.8 million in fiscal 2021, going up to $9 million, then down to $3.6 million, and then to $4.46 million also contributes, he said.

“All that correlates into the financial situation the county is in,” Cummings said.

Cummings explained officials with the state are working with Hancock County Schools to get a better idea of what funding the school system should receive, and how many employees can be supported, along with suggestions on other moves to get on better financial footing.

The board also heard from five residents, four of whom focused their comments on rumored plans to possibly close New Manchester Elementary, although no final decisions on facility closures have been announced.