The Lake Washington School District (LWSD) faces difficult — and, most likely, unpopular — decisions as it faces another round of gut-wrenching budget cuts this year.
But before LWSD busts out the budget axe again, it wants to hear from you.
LWSD will hold a series of five community budget meetings, including one at Rose Hill Junior High, 13505 NE 75th St. in Redmond, from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, March 17; and at Redmond High School, 17272 NE 104th St, from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, March 24.
“These are really hard decisions to make,” said LWSD Communications Director Kathryn Reith. “We want to make the best decisions for our community.”
Based on current state budget proposals, LWSD will have to cut $3.6-8.4 million from its 2010-11 budget, according to Reith.
Reith has already said that teacher layoffs loom large this year, something the LWSD was able to avoid last year.
“Layoffs of some kind are more likely this year,” Reith reiterated.
At the budget meetings, parents, LWSD staff and community members will receive information on the expected budget and potential options for cuts. Everyone will have the opportunity to fill out and submit a form with their choices. In addition, an online input form will be open from March 16-26 at www.lwsd.org.
LWSD conducted a similar process last year when it was forced to cut nearly $8 million from its budget because of a lack of state funding.
“Last year’s process really helped us understand community priorities,” said LWSD Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball. “I encourage all citizens, especially parents, to come and weigh in on what is most important for our school district.”
The problem this year: Where are the cuts going to be made?
“The challenge is we cut all the items that the community said they can live without last time,” Reith said. “We have to go deeper this time.”
Last year, the LWSD cut more than $2 million from its central administration budget — including 10 positions — and another nearly $2 million in its building support budget. The LWSD raised the athletic fees — which Reith admitted drew criticism — from $35 to $105 in junior highs and $75 to $275 in high schools. Also among its budget measures last year, the district raised fees for All-Day Kindergarten and the gifted enrichment program. Another big cut from last year was in the transportation budget, eliminating several bus stops and forcing students to walk farther to the bus stop, yet another unpopular cut.
Reith said “anything extracurricular” is on the chopping block. As far as another athletic fee increase, Reith said “that would be up to the community,” although she did say she would personally be surprised if the fees went up again after last year’s nearly 300 percent increase.
The other budget meetings and times are:
Tuesday, March 16: Juanita High School, 7-9 p.m.
Wednesday, March 17: Lake Washington High School, 7-9 p.m.
Thursday, March 25: Eastlake High School, 7-9 p.m.
Weekend retreat for LWSD board, staff
The LWSD board of directors’ annual review of the superintendent is among the topics on the agenda at this weekend’s LWSD retreat at Sleeping Lady Resort in Leavenworth, Reith said.
The meeting is open to the public and funded by the district budget. The retreat, which includes five board members and six staff members, costs $5,000, according to Reith.
The board, superintendent and his staff will also discuss the progress of the Vision 2020 Project, the district’s long-range plan, along with going back to the drawing board on its school reconfiguration plan.
The LWSD put a $234 million general obligation bond on the February ballot and with that money hoped to switch the district to a K-5, 6-8, 9-12 configuration. The bond generated 55.67 percent yes votes, but not enough as the measure needed a 60 percent super majority vote. So the bond failed and now puts the reconfiguration plan in doubt.
Now the LWSD will go back and “look at the enrollment numbers,” and decide on its next steps, Reith said.
There are a number of questions the LWSD must decide like, “How are we going to accommodate growing enrollment? Do we float another bond issue? If so, what’s on it? When would it run? It could be done in May or November,” Reith said.
From budgets to bonds, there are more questions than answers for the LWSD.
