A Message from Superintendent Dr. James Everett
As we enter the second half of the school year, I want to update you on our budget. Last year, we faced a $2 million shortfall but managed to avoid job cuts through various measures. This year, we face similar challenges due to continued uncertainty from state funding. We understand that school finance can be complicated and we want to offer some helpful information and an update on where we are at.
Current Challenges
The state isn’t fully covering school costs, leading to a funding gap. Since 2020, we’ve been underfunded by over $8.6 million in areas like Special Education, transportation and materials (MSOCs). We are not alone in this challenge. School districts across the state are facing similar circumstances.
How are we funded?
Our district budget consists of several sources: state funding (70%), local levies (18%) and federal funding (12%). Currently, we face some uncertainty regarding the future of federal funding. Local levies, which include our educational programs and operations levy, and technology capital levy, were renewed by voters in February 2024. Thank you for your continued support, and as a reminder, levies and bonds are separate funds and cannot be used interchangeably.
Budget Process
We start planning our budget in January. The state finalizes its budget by April then OSPI reviews it. By May or early June, we finally know our budget for next year. The state requires us to notify certificated staff of a reduction in force by May 15. We want to respect our employees by providing them with as much notice as possible, and given what we know about the budget status for next year, we will likely have a reduction in force notice for the school board to review in April. If, after the state budget is released, and we can hire back staff, we will do so.
Next Steps
Every month, our Director of Business and Finance, Daniel Yorton, presents a budget update to the school board. You are welcome to attend these meetings, which are held in the library at Meridian Middle School, or you can watch our board meetings live on YouTube. We also post budget information on our district website.
Another helpful resource is the WA School Funding website created by WASA (Washington Association of School Administrators) to help explain school funding and the current budget challenges experienced throughout the state. We are not alone and there are many examples on the WASA website of school districts facing similar financial situations.
In December, we asked for your input on budget priorities, and learning was selected as the highest priority, followed by support. We will keep this in mind as we continue processing the budget.
Please know that we do not make budget decisions lightly. We take into consideration how we can best serve our students and provide them the best possible educational experience. If you have questions about the district budget, please feel free to contact me and I will answer your question the best I can. Thank you for your continued support.
Regarding school tomorrow, we will notify staff, families and students as soon as a decision is made.