Bay City Schools Stabilize

Standard & Poor’s revised its outlook to stable from negative for the Bay City School District after district management implemented new policies aimed at improving financial performance.

The rating agency also confirmed its A-minus underlying rating on the district’s outstanding bonds and its A-minus issuer credit rating.

“The stable outlook acknowledges the steps management has taken to improve financial operations, but in the event pressures arise and reserves fail to stabilize, a negative rating action would be likely,” Standard & Poor’s analyst Justin Formas said in a report accompanying the outlook revision.

Located in the economically troubled Saginaw-Bay City-Midland area, the Bay City School District has seen a steady decline in student enrollment, state aid, and rising operation costs during the last several years.

Since 2006 district officials have cut $5 million in operating costs, and the unreserved general fund balance has grown modestly but steadily since 2005. Officials also instituted a policy to increase the general fund by 0.5% annually, but so far have been unable to meet that number.

The school’s largest revenue source is state funding, accounting for nearly 80% of general fund revenue in fiscal 2007. In light of declining aid from the state, the district expects in 2008 to draw down its general fund balance, which would nevertheless remain higher than the decade-long average.

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