Budget deal freezes training but saves 6 teacher jobs in Prosser. Here’s how
The Prosser School District and its unions covering teachers and principals have agreed to cut training and some time commitments to save six teacher jobs for the upcoming 2025-26 school year.
The district is looking to shave $2.3 million from the upcoming school year budget. Some cuts to vacant positions and student programs may still be on the table as the district begins to align its revenues and spending this spring budget season.
“We appreciate the collaborative spirit of the Prosser Education Association and our staff as we work together through difficult financial decisions,” Superintendent Kim Casey said in a statement.
“This agreement allows us to remain student-focused while being fiscally responsible,” she continued.
The changes include a reduction in professional enrichment hours, a revised August training schedule, adjustments in back-to-school night commitments and a one-year freeze in contributions to its professional development funds.
Sue Severson Bray, president of the Prosser Education Association teacher union, said a vote of their 165 members “overwhelmingly supported” the contractual freezes.
“This was a grassroots effort as we came to the district with a variety of ideas on how to make budget cuts and save jobs. These ideas came from the teachers in our five school buildings,” she said in an email.
The superintendent, assistant superintendent and seven members of the Prosser Principal’s Association also agreed to reduce extra contract days from 10 to eight.
Casey said there was “no way to list” all the concessions made on both sides, but said they were “just blessed” to have strong and open communication within the district.
She also highlighted additional program reductions already up for consideration.
Those include full cuts to overnight travel, partial reductions in the schools’ athletic programs, reducing education support staff and reviewing existing contracts. Workers on individual contracts and other bargaining groups could be impacted.
The district is also looking at plans to delay its refresh of some student Chromebooks. That move alone will save the district $525,000 next school year. Administrators are also seeking grant funding to buy new curriculum.
Coming out of the COVID pandemic, many of Washington state’s 295 public school districts have struggled to do business as costs associated with salaries, materials, insurance, transportation, special education, and operations have skyrocketed.
Revenue increases through the state’s basic education apportionment and other programs simply have not kept up to match existing expenditures, school administrators have said.
Districts in recent years have also struggled more often with passing local levy funding, a source that plays an important roll in funding the difference between what the state gives and what districts need.
This story was originally published May 1, 2025 at 9:31 AM.
