The Sedona-Oak Creek School District is dealing with a decrease of almost $440,000 due to a decline in enrollment numbers this year when compared to last year.

Two years ago, the district’s enrollment stood at 1,435 students. Last year, the number dropped to 1,366 pupils, and this year the full-time equivalency rate is expected to be around 1,306.

According to the Arizona Department of Education, schools receive $6,282 for each full-time student. Kindergarten students, for example, are not classified as full-time students. The district has seen a decline of 125 children, but some are not full time.

Sedona-Oak Creek School Superintendent Mike Aylstock said the decrease in students this year was not a surprise or unexpected.

He said the high school numbers are pretty stable, but enrollment is mostly down at Big Park Community School and West Sedona School.

Aylstock said it is understandable why lower grade schools are seeing a bigger drop in students than the high school.

“That is expected with the way the economy is,” he said. “It is harder for young families to stay [in the community].”

School Board President Bobbie Surber said the number of students has decreased at each of its three schools.

As of last week, there were 498 students attending Sedona Red Rock High School, 426 pupils were at West Sedona, and another 379 go to Big Park Community School. The numbers per school for last year were not available.

Aylstock said when people lose their jobs, parents often have to uproot their children to provide for them.

The superintendent said Sedona, like several other communities, has seen many layoffs around town because

of the economy, and it’s even worse for tourism-based communities.

“I think there is a domino effect everywhere,” he said. “There have been layoffs. People have to go where the jobs are.”

He said while he does not like any decreases, 70 is a manageable number for the Sedona-Oak Creek School District.

“We knew there would be less students. We made changes in staffing to be ready for that,” Aylstock said.

School Board member Carolyn Huggins, who works in the real estate industry, said homes are being foreclosed at an extremely high rate, and she added the majority of those families move elsewhere. So far this year, Huggins, herself, had to work with 10 forclosed properties.

She pointed to the city’s problems with its budget and called it a domino effect for the school district, a decline in sales tax usually mean people are buying less, resulting in employers laying off workers to survive.

“All these people have kids that go to the schools,” she said of residents who suddenly find themselves without jobs. “They go and make a living wherever they can.”

She also echoed Aylstock’s comments about Sedona having to rely on tourism when times are tough, and people cut back on wants and focus on necessities instead.

Huggins said her job gives her some extra insight on what these families are facing.

“I have seen it,” she said.