Superintendent Dr. Carl Davis knows at least one mother who moved from Natchez because she could not find a job in the area. With her she took her five children — all of whom would have attended school at the Natchez-Adams School District. Five students may not sound like many, but those numbers are adding up for Natchez’s public school system.

Over the past 15 years, student enrollment has steadily declined in Natchez, causing a drop in state funding allocated based on enrollment. And with a new state funding plan, the financial loss could increase in the upcoming years. officials said.

In 2003, the state will switch from a funding system known as the minimum program to the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.

Under the present system, if a school district lost 100 students, it would lose about $90,000 in funding. But under MAEP that amount will increase to $300,000, said Mike Walters of JBHM&160;Education Group, an education management consulting firm.

Under MAEP, districts will give the first 28 mills they collect in taxes to the state.

Instead of losing just teacher funding, they will also lose other revenues, such as administration costs, operational costs and other services, Walters said.

The intent of the change was to better equalize the resources across the state.

But districts such as Natchez-Adams have a reason to be concerned, even though the new system will actually provide more money at first, Walters said.

&uot;You’ve been given more money through MAEP. You’re going to have the money to lose,&uot; he said. But &uot;it will (catch up with you) very quickly when you lose students a the rate the Natchez district is losing them.&uot;

Walters described Natchez’s enrollment drop as significant.

For example, 177 students left the district last year, and 131 left this year. That would equal a $1 million loss under the new system, Walters said.

&uot;Drops such as that should concern us because it causes a district’s ability to provide an education to suffer,&uot; Walters said.

And changes in student enrollment can cause the Natchez district to take long looks at its budget and such things as personnel, Davis said.

Natchez-Adams Technology Coordinator Linda Grafton, who also works with attendance numbers, is also concerned about the drop and what it means to the district.

For example, the cost of utilities for a classroom full of students is just as much as the cost of utilities for classroom with just a few students, she said. &uot;We have a good school system. I really believe that,&uot; she said. &uot;I would hate to see us hurt because of this.&uot;

Many district officials also question why the drop is taking place.

Davis said researched the matter last year and does not think the Natchez-Adams district is losing students to private schools or home schooling. He said he thinks the enrollment is dropping because &uot;most of our parents are working age and they can not find employment,&uot; in Natchez.

To deal with dropping enrollments, districts needs to plan, Walters said. &uot;You have to anticipate that and you to anticipate that well in advance,&uot; he said.

Walters said he thinks districts need to look at where the students are going and respond to that loss such as with technology and public charter schools.

School board President Kenneth Taylor also thinks the district is losing students because of the economy.

Taylor said thinks the district needs to project future enrollment when preparing its budget.

Board member Terry&160;Estes, who is also concerned about the drop, said board members have asked district officials to provide them with more information on the matter and future enrollment figures.