At its Aug. 9 meeting, the Lake Washington School District (LWSD) Board of Directors unanimously approved the district’s “no cuts, no adds” 2010-11 budget.

“There were no changes and no surprises,” stated Kathryn Reith, the LWSD director of communications.

The district avoided making tough cuts and layoffs this year and next because enrollment went up, meaning more state funding.

However, the district might face significant budget cuts in the 2011-12 budget when federal stimulus dollars will no longer be available, unless the state economy improves significantly, according to Barbara Posthumus, LWSD coordinator of business services.

A total of 342 more students enrolled in the district in 2009-10 than expected. The approved budget for 2010-11, which has been posted on the district’s Web site, www.lwsd.org, accounts for that increase and for an additional 89 students expected, for a total of 431 more students since last year’s budget was approved.

Basic education funding from the state is provided on a formula based on the number of students, so the district’s revenue will increase in conjunction with the rise in enrollment.

A 12 percent increase in the number of students in the special education program also triggered some additional funds to pay for those services, although those services are not fully funded by the state.

With a temporary higher levy cap and amounts approved by voters in last February’s election, the district will be able to collect more in local levy dollars next year, for an increase of around $4.5 million.

This increase will offset state cuts to education because of the struggling economy. State funding increases include more money to cover non-salary costs and revenue for increases in employee health benefit costs.

Increases in local levy and state general funding make up for decreases in I-728 academic achievement money passed by voters in 2000, class size reduction funding and teacher preparation day funding that were part of the state budget cuts approved by the legislature.

Funding through the federal stimulus package for Title I, low-income students will be lower next year. And the federal Safe & Drug Free Schools grant was eliminated, along with state prevention/intervention funding.

Meanwhile, increased enrollment will mean that more teachers are needed and an increase in special education needs will also cause an increase in those expenditures. As well, some fixed costs are rising.