Richland schools to cut 34 paraeducators in midst of budget crunch. What we know so far
Richland School District will cut as many as 34 paraeducator jobs this week, likely through layoffs, as part of a plan to address a troubling budget crunch.
The number could be fewer if employees choose to retire or resign, the school district said in a Monday letter to staff.
Starting Tuesday, paras affected by the change will be contacted by either phone or in-person to discuss potential new assignments.
The district has not said how much it expects to save through the move.
“This is an extremely unfortunate situation that will negatively impact the community, our members and our schools,” said Annie Carlson, Richland Paraeducator PSE chapter president, in a statement. “But the only thing we can do now to protect our paras is ensure that the contract we have with the district is being followed.”
A spending freeze took effect earlier this month as the district tries to fend off rising costs.
Superintendent Shelley Redinger told families in a letter earlier this month that “financial hardships” were expected and that several positions at the district’s office had already been cut through attrition.
“Since last school year, the district has reduced staff mainly through attrition, cutting district administration by 22.5% and principals by 4%,” said her email to parents on Monday.
Redinger also said the district began the 2024-25 school year with 429 paraeducators. That’s about 17 positions fewer than the year before due to attrition.
“Despite these efforts, these reductions have not been enough. With the current staffing model, it will not be feasible to fund all district positions through the end of the school year. We will continue to use attrition throughout the year, but further reductions are necessary,” she said.
Richland’s predicament is not unique. School districts across the region and country have been making steep cuts in recent years with rising costs to materials and operations, higher insurance costs, lower enrollment, and a “spending cliff” caused by one-time federal dollars dolled out during the COVID pandemic.
Changing assignments
Administrators will begin contacting paraeducators on Tuesday, in order of seniority, to discuss a “potential change of assignment,” according to a memo signed by labor leaders and the district.
“Staff will have 20 minutes to respond to the call or contact by the building administrator,” the memo reads. “Staff who do not respond within the 20-minute response time will be placed in a similar available position or will have a choice of the remaining open positions at the time they return contact.”
The union representing the paraeducators held an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss the district’s plan. Then, on Friday, the district sent the memo to paraeducators.
The change of assignments goes into effect Tuesday, Nov. 12.
Special education paras are not expected to be affected by the reorganization. Current basic education workers have been offered reassignment to the district’s special ed program, with training starting Monday, Nov. 4.
Workers who decline a new job, either in another school or to special education, can choose to move to the district’s substitute paraeducator list.
Paraeducators, or paraprofessionals as they’re sometimes called, are classified workers who work alongside teachers to provide direct instructional support to students, commonly those needing extra attention, and are often characterized as the backbone of public school classrooms.
About 1-in-5 school district employees in Washington state are paraeducators, totaling a workforce of nearly 38,000.
In the Tri-Cities, more than 1,300 paras help support public instruction.
Richland School District will operate the 2024-25 school year on a general fund balance of 0.5%, when it normally operates on 4%.
In August, the district’s school board approved a general fund budget that included $233 million in expenditures and $235 million in revenues.
But rising student needs, insufficient state funding and climbing costs for materials, supplies and operations have negatively impacted districts across the state, including Richland.
This story was originally published October 28, 2024 at 12:42 PM.
