The Lake Washington School District (LWSD) postponed this week’s public budget input meetings, including one Rose Hill Junior High in Redmond, as it awaits word from Olympia on the finalized state budget.

Next week’s meetings, including one at Redmond High School, are still on the calendar — at least for now, according to LWSD Director of Communications Kathryn Reith.

Reith said this week’s meetings were canceled because it is still unclear how much money the district will get from the state, so it’s still too early to determine how much money must be cut from the district’s 2010-11 budget. The Legislature has spent this week in an extended session, ironing out the state budget. By law, the Legislature can have an extended session for a month, but it is hoped the finalized state budget will be voted on and passed by Friday, Reith said. Once the state budget is finalized, LWSD will know exactly how much it will have to cut from its budget.

The postponed budget input meetings will be rescheduled for early April, but if things go well in Olympia, the district may cancel all the meetings, Reith said.

“We could potentially cancel the meetings if the right set of legislative items pass and the cuts are minor or zero.”

LWSD estimated earlier this month that it would have to cut $3.6-8.4 million from its budget based on state budget proposals. But there are bills the Legislature is considering that may increase funding for education and decrease the district’s anticipated cuts, Reith said.

“It’s a little more optimistic,” Reith said. “We’re trying to be hopeful. We’re still holding our breath.”

Reith said previously that teacher layoffs are likely, but did say Tuesday “there is a chance” that the district could avoid teacher layoffs — like it did last year — if the state allows for more funding for education.

But the LWSD is bracing for possible layoffs, meaning the public budget input meetings must completed by early April, at the very latest, Reith said.

“Time is a factor, definitely,” Reith said. “We have a hard deadline of May 15 for layoff notices. We need time before that to complete the HR processes, so meetings would need to be completed by mid-April at the latest. If we start running up against that deadline, we might ask for input on a worst-case scenario and then restore items as the state budget allows.”

The LWSD budget input meetings scheduled for March 24 and 25 will remain on the calendar — 7-9 p.m., at Redmond High School on March 24, and Eastlake High School on the March 25.

After the legislative session is complete, it will be determined if the postponed meetings for Lake Washington High School and Juanita High School as well as an afternoon meeting at Rose Hill Junior High will be rescheduled or if all meetings will be canceled.

The district budget will be submitted to the LWSD Board of Directors in June for the first hearing and then will be approved in August, Reith said.

Community members can check the district’s Web site at www.lwsd.org to confirm the meeting schedule.