An unexpected increase in enrollment this school year has left Jerome school district officials looking for ways to cover the additional expenses.

While the official count is still fluctuating, the district has anywhere between 50 and 100 more students than they had last year.

Dale Layne, Superintendent of Jerome Schools, told us some of the challenges the district faces with an unexpected increase in enrollment. "Anytime we have more students, our class sizes go up and of course things like supplies and equipment, there is more cost there." The district is also looking at adding additional special education staff.


Idaho law allows for districts to impose an emergency property tax levy to cover the additional expenses related to unexpected enrollment increases.

After a lengthy discussion, officials decided to look for other ways to cover the added costs rather than passing the emergency levy. School district trustee Byron Burnham explained to us why the district chose not to push forward with the emergency levy.

"One reason we chose not to is we have such a good relationship with our community and there support of our actions in the past for our supplemental levees which helps fund our programs and keeps us from losing programs that help kids in our district perform at a higher level."

The most significant increase in enrollment was in the 3rd, 4th and 5th grades.