Financial issues facing rural Missouri schools was the topic of a program presented Thursday, June 25, at the meeting of the Trenton Rotary Club.

Daniel Gott presided at the meeting and serves as superintendent of Trenton R-IX School District. He said Trenton is one of 389 school districts in Missouri classified as rural. Those districts make up 75% of all school districts in the state and educate more than 200,000 preschool through 12th-grade students.

Gott said recent studies indicate rural school graduation rates are among the highest in the nation and that Missouri ranks 12th nationally for educational outcomes. However, he said state funding for these schools remains among the worst in the United States.

The National Rural Education Association’s “Why Rural Matters” study identified Missouri as the second-highest priority state in the nation for policymakers to address public school education needs behind only Oklahoma.

Gott said Trenton was underfunded by nearly $300,000 in state appropriations this past year. He said the district received just under $6,900 per pupil instead of the more than $7,100 per pupil the district had been told it would receive through the foundation formula.

As a result, Gott said Trenton district leaders, along with other districts’ leaders facing similar situations across the state, have been looking for ways to reduce spending and keep district fund balances in good standing.

Gott recommend to the school board a deficit budget of $18,000 for the 2026-27 fiscal year, with hopes the deficit will not occur by the time the school year ends June 30, 2027.

He said the Missouri legislature, which appropriates state funding for schools, has already cut funds in various education programs for the next school year. With a less-than-positive outlook regarding funding for the coming year, Gott said he would not be surprised to see the governor make withholdings that could reduce state education appropriations even further.

Gott said Trenton is fortunate to have a healthy fund balance at this time, but the district may have to use some of that money if unforeseen expenditures occur.