While school districts across the state are cutting record amounts of certified staff after the legislature finalized its budget, Tacoma insists it will not be reducing staff.
At a school board meeting May 14, Tacoma School District’s Chief Financial Officer Ron Hack took the board through the state’s budget shortfalls, its impact on the city’s public schools, and how Tacoma plans to cope.
District officials say this year’s moratorium on hiring kept vacant positions open, which alleviated the district having to cut staff now. Shifting employees around and continued retirements and resignations will also help keep the district from having to make difficult cuts.
“We’re different than other districts,” said Leanna Albrecht, district spokesperson. “We may have displacements or shifts, but we are not RIFing other teachers. We did do the efficiencies as a district and we didn’t fill open positions.”
Efficiencies were made late during last year’s budget cycle when officials realized they could cut costs and use reserves in order to create enough one-time monies to keep the district afloat through 2008-09.
As the district approaches the 2010-11 budget, more carryovers, reserves, funding shifts and about $12 million in federal stimulus money will cover the costs again this time around.
Hack expects to have about $14 million sitting in the district’s account before school begins in September 2009.
For this budget, despite how tight it may be, officials seem confident that it will cover and maintain current staffing levels and programs.
“We’re able to say we’re balanced in our categorical programs,” Hack said. “There are fewer positions in the budget…(but there has been) no reduction in force for certificated staff.”
However, officials know that reserves and carry-over monies can only go so far.
The district’s three-year financial plan is something that Superintendent Art Jarvis hopes will carry them into a better economic climate.
“At the end of three years we will be out of stimulus money, out of carry-over money and we will be in the tank ($6 million) if no one fixes this system,” he said.
Jarvis added “the good news is” other districts will face those large deficiencies first.
Jarvis and Hack stressed that the district is determined to maintain programming and certificated staffing levels.
“We have made a commitment there and we will not reduce our force in Tacoma,” Hack said.
A budget information forum open to the public will be held at Wilson High School at 5 p.m. on May 26.
