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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) The state school funding formula needs to be fixed according to Valley City School board member Rick Ross. He told legislator Larry Robinson and Dwight Kiefert that the state has tied the hands of school districts with declining enrollment and the formula is negatively affecting annual revenue under the current system.

Valley City Schools Superintendent Dean Koppelman says another problem is that the Department of Public Instruction uses fall enrollment numbers and they should use the final enrollment numbers in May once the school year is finished. He says over the last few years in Valley City those numbers have dropped by as many as 20 fewer students.

The formula is based on a per pupil payment. State Senator Larry Robinson and State Representative Dwight Keifert told the school board that the issue will be debated in the upcoming legislative session. They say testimony from school board members and administrators across the state will be instrumental in getting this issue addressed during the session.