Columbia School Board in Burbank has adopted a $9.46 million general fund budget, capping months of work to save money amid deep state funding cuts.
The budget for the coming school year is down about $83,000 over 2008-09 largely because of the state cuts to K-12 education, which total in the hundreds of millions for the 2009-11 biennium.
State legislators slashed funding to K-12 and higher education and other programs to help balance a $9 billion deficit.
The biggest hit for Columbia-Burbank was to Initiative 728 money. Districts use that to shrink class sizes, typically by hiring teachers.
Columbia-Burbank's I-728 funding dropped from $410,000 to $114,000 because of the cuts, said Business Manager Debbie Williams.
Still, the district worked hard to make the most of its money and "I feel that we still preserved most of the programs," Williams said.
There are 2.2 teaching positions being eliminated, but because of attrition, only one teacher is being laid off, Williams said.
Two district classified workers also are retiring. Their positions have been factored into the budget but may or may not be filled depending on enrollment, Williams said. Classified workers include bus drivers and food service employees.
Enrollment is critical to the budget process because districts get much of their state money based on how many students are taking classes.
Columbia-Burbank's budget for the coming school year is based on about 870 full-time students, including those in Running Start. That's down from the roughly 876 full-time students at the end of the 2008-09 year.
The district's fund balance -- which is the rainy-day money left over when the bills are paid -- also is shrinking because of the cuts. It's projected to be $192,000 at the end of 2009-10, down from the anticipated balance of $219,000 at the end of 2008-09.
The district was able to find ways to save money. For example, officials hired a food service management company. The district was doing its own food service and losing money each year. With the new company -- Sodexo -- food service operations will break even, Williams said.
The school board also approved separate budgets for transportation, the associated student body, debt service and capital projects.
Similar stories:
Small Mid-Columbia school districts keep budgets steady
Small Mid-Columbia school districts keep budgets steady
No surprises awaited kids in the Mid-Columbia's smaller school districts this week.
That's a good thing -- despite state and federal budget cuts, and despite declining enrollment in some of the rural districts, all schools are able to provide the same offerings to kids as last year.
None of the smaller districts went through massive layoffs or had to cut entire programs.
Tri-City education officials fear potential cuts to their budgets
Tri-City education officials fear potential cuts to their budgets
Tri-City school and college officials bristled at potential cuts to their budgets that Gov. Chris Gregoire suggested Thursday.
The governor unveiled a list of reductions for legislators to consider during the upcoming special session, which begins Nov. 28. Lawmakers are trying to close a projected $2 billion budget gap.
The cost-cutting options included some extreme suggestions that are unlikely to even be discussed, such as cutting school bus service statewide.
Possible cuts to school funding could leave kids on the curb
Possible cuts to school funding could leave kids on the curb
Red lights flashing on a big yellow bus, doors opening and a small boy skipping into his dad's arms -- it is a scene that played out at Kennewick's Aspen Hills apartment complex Friday, much like it does every weekday in neighborhoods across America.
But yet another round of state budget cuts threaten to make that scenario ever rarer -- or nonexistent -- in Washington.
To stave off a projected $2 billion budget shortfall, Gov. Chris Gregoire last week sent a list of cost-cutting ideas to legislators for consideration during the upcoming Nov. 28 special session. One of the options is to cut state money to local districts for busing kids.
Washington state budget debate to begin
Washington state budget debate to begin
Talking about a $2 billion deficit in Washington can seem unreal -- it's a number almost too big for the average person to imagine, but one that might have very real consequences for thousands of Tri-Citians.
And it's the number that will be the focus of lawmakers' discussion and debate as the Legislature convenes in a 30-day special session Monday to tackle that deficit before it ordinarily would meet to write a supplemental budget starting in January.
The actual shortfall between projected revenue and the biennial budget as written is about $1.4 billion, but Gov. Chris Gregoire is asking lawmakers to cut enough to leave $600 million in reserves.
Washington state budget debate to begin
Washington state budget debate to begin
Talking about a $2 billion deficit in Washington can seem unreal -- it's a number almost too big for the average person to imagine, but one that might have very real consequences for thousands of Tri-Citians.
And it's the number that will be the focus of lawmakers' discussion and debate as the Legislature convenes in a 30-day special session Monday to tackle that deficit before it ordinarily would meet to write a supplemental budget starting in January.
The actual shortfall between projected revenue and the biennial budget as written is about $1.4 billion, but Gov. Chris Gregoire is asking lawmakers to cut enough to leave $600 million in reserves.
Print
Email Story
