Hillsboro is among the state public school districts which will receive more general state aid this school year than in 2014-15, according to the Department of Public Instruction.

Figures DPI released Oct. 15, as required by state statute, show Hillsboro will receive $3,254,141 from the general state aid appropriation–a 3.45 percent increase from the $3,145,512 the district received  in 2014-15.

This is smaller than the $3,284,137 estimate which DPI released July 1.

Certified general aid amounts differ from July 1 aid estimates because they are based on audited school district data from the previous school year. The audited numbers include membership, property value, and eligible expenditures. School membership, which is not the same as enrollment, decreased by more than 2,500 full-time equivalent (FTE) students and totaled 854,419 FTE.

Superintendent Curt Bisarek said in July that the revenue limit actually decreased $55,194. Without last year’s referendum, the district would operate on less money this school year than it did in 2014-15. He added that the increase in state aid is a benefit that helps control property taxes.

Overall, Hillsboro is among the 44 percent of state public school districts (186 of 424) which will receive more state aid this school year.

The $4.476 billion in general state aid does not include funding allocated to school districts for categorical aid for various programs or per pupil categorical aid. Categorical aid for programs such as special education, transportation, and bilingual-bicultural aid will total $751.7 million for 2015-16 and is paid on different schedules than general state aid. The appropriation for per pupil categorical aid is $127 million. School districts will receive $150 per FTE pupil, the same as last year. That categorical aid will be paid in July 2016.