School News
Community advises district on new budget
Published on Thu, May 6, 2010 by Sara BruestleRead More School News
The Edmonds School District’s superintendent recommended a 2010-2011 budget to the Edmonds School Board on May 4, based on suggestions from the community.
The district identified $4 million in cuts in response to a $6.7 million budget shortfall and held four meetings in April asking the community for feedback on where to cut the remaining $2.7 million.
To help solve Washington’s projected $2.8 billion budget shortfall, the Legislature passed a new state budget last month that reduces funding to K-12 schools by an estimated $120 million.
The district listened to the community and made changes to a list of $3.3 million of possible cuts, said Superintendent Nick Brossoit. But, he said, the district’s continued reductions to school programs, staffing and services due to limited state revenue are still going to hurt.
“I don’t want to see anything reduced, but unfortunately we’re not able to honor all the interest,” he said. “There will be things that end up having to be impacted that none of us want to impact. It’ll be painful no matter how we do it.”
The recommended $4 million in cuts and new revenue include using $1.4 million in stimulus funding for special education, $170,000 in utility savings and $1.5 million to reduce and reassign staffing in the Student Learning division to be paid for with stimulus funds.
“We’ve made a commitment to not look at reductions that would result in an increase in class sizes, but we are having to make pretty dramatic changes in how we deliver some of our instruction and our support of instruction,” said DJ Jakala, the district’s spokesperson.
The district distributed its list of possible cuts at the community meetings and instructed audiences to circle what should not be cut from the budget and to offer suggestions for further reductions.
The list suggested a combined $1.8 million in cuts from elementary, middle and high schools and up to $1.5 million from support services.
Audiences at the meetings said the district should restore its suggestion to reduce transportation costs by returning to an alternating-day kindergarten model, increase sports fees at middle and high schools, and institute a fee for instrumental music at elementary schools.
Also asked to be considered for restoration was the district’s suggestions to eliminate several instructional staff at middle and high schools; reduce the budget for instructional materials, maintenance and technology for all schools; and eliminate its share of the cost for on-site police officers at high schools.
“It’s unfortunate that the wish list of restorations is nowhere close to what we actually have dollars to do,” Jakala said. “If we had the chance to circle all of them and restore them, I don’t think there would be one person in this organization who wouldn’t take that opportunity.”
The board is scheduled to approve a final budget in August.
“We’ve recommended what we believe is the best way to proceed, but it’s only May 4,” Brossoit said. “The budget isn’t final until this summer, so there will be continued analysis. If we can find out better solutions, then we will do that.”
Brossoit said an updated list of possible reductions for the budget 2010-2011 that reflects his recommendation to the board will soon be available at www.edmonds.wednet.edu.
While the Legislature cut funding for K-12 schools, it also passed a bill last month that allows districts to ask voters for an additional 4 percent in property tax through levies.
Edmonds schools are considering a four-year supplemental levy proposal for the August ballot. The levy would raise an average $6.5 million per year, costing the owner of a $350,000 home an additional $100 a year.
“We feel that we need to at least ask the community,” Jakala said, “because next spring we anticipate we will be in a similar financial situation.”
The district identified $4 million in cuts in response to a $6.7 million budget shortfall and held four meetings in April asking the community for feedback on where to cut the remaining $2.7 million.
To help solve Washington’s projected $2.8 billion budget shortfall, the Legislature passed a new state budget last month that reduces funding to K-12 schools by an estimated $120 million.
The district listened to the community and made changes to a list of $3.3 million of possible cuts, said Superintendent Nick Brossoit. But, he said, the district’s continued reductions to school programs, staffing and services due to limited state revenue are still going to hurt.
“I don’t want to see anything reduced, but unfortunately we’re not able to honor all the interest,” he said. “There will be things that end up having to be impacted that none of us want to impact. It’ll be painful no matter how we do it.”
The recommended $4 million in cuts and new revenue include using $1.4 million in stimulus funding for special education, $170,000 in utility savings and $1.5 million to reduce and reassign staffing in the Student Learning division to be paid for with stimulus funds.
“We’ve made a commitment to not look at reductions that would result in an increase in class sizes, but we are having to make pretty dramatic changes in how we deliver some of our instruction and our support of instruction,” said DJ Jakala, the district’s spokesperson.
The district distributed its list of possible cuts at the community meetings and instructed audiences to circle what should not be cut from the budget and to offer suggestions for further reductions.
The list suggested a combined $1.8 million in cuts from elementary, middle and high schools and up to $1.5 million from support services.
Audiences at the meetings said the district should restore its suggestion to reduce transportation costs by returning to an alternating-day kindergarten model, increase sports fees at middle and high schools, and institute a fee for instrumental music at elementary schools.
Also asked to be considered for restoration was the district’s suggestions to eliminate several instructional staff at middle and high schools; reduce the budget for instructional materials, maintenance and technology for all schools; and eliminate its share of the cost for on-site police officers at high schools.
“It’s unfortunate that the wish list of restorations is nowhere close to what we actually have dollars to do,” Jakala said. “If we had the chance to circle all of them and restore them, I don’t think there would be one person in this organization who wouldn’t take that opportunity.”
The board is scheduled to approve a final budget in August.
“We’ve recommended what we believe is the best way to proceed, but it’s only May 4,” Brossoit said. “The budget isn’t final until this summer, so there will be continued analysis. If we can find out better solutions, then we will do that.”
Brossoit said an updated list of possible reductions for the budget 2010-2011 that reflects his recommendation to the board will soon be available at www.edmonds.wednet.edu.
While the Legislature cut funding for K-12 schools, it also passed a bill last month that allows districts to ask voters for an additional 4 percent in property tax through levies.
Edmonds schools are considering a four-year supplemental levy proposal for the August ballot. The levy would raise an average $6.5 million per year, costing the owner of a $350,000 home an additional $100 a year.
“We feel that we need to at least ask the community,” Jakala said, “because next spring we anticipate we will be in a similar financial situation.”