State cuts mean $1.4 million less for local schools

Whitman County schools will take a $1,417,405 hit over the next eight months, compliments of the state’s Dec. 11 special session.

The figure may mean layoffs for some districts.

“It’s going to be really hard on us,” said Rick Winters, superintendent for St. John/Endicott.

The $1,417,405 is part of state-wide cuts legislators made to two school programs, K-4 enhancement and the EduJobs grant.

Education Service District 101, the overarching educational district serving the eastern Washington region, did the math on those cuts and sent out the results of their calculations to all 59 districts in their jurisdiction. Thirteen of those districts are in Whitman County.

For example, ESD 101 predicts the Rosalia school district will lose about $80,735 through August 2011, or about $386 per full-time student. Colfax is projected to lose about $171,189 over the next eight months, or about $273 per student.

More severe cuts are on the horizon for the state’s education budget, according to two other budget proposals by Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Levy equalization and the Highly Capable program are both penciled to see steep financial losses in Gov. Gregoire’s proposed budget for the coming two years, the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years.

The final budget for those years, however, must first go through several rigorous sessions between the state House and Senate. Cuts to levy equalization will look different at the end of this year’s legislative session than in the current proposed budget by the governor.

Levy equalization funding is the heart and soul of small-school finances and please don’t touch it, is the resounding message being sent to eastern Washington state legislators from area school officials.

ESD 101 officials are asking legislators to leave levy equalization intact.

“I think of everything that we hope will be protected, levy equalization is at the top of our list- that that will be protected,” said Mike Dunn, superintendent of ESD 101. Dunn said he has had multiple conversations with legislators asking them to advocate strongly for levy equalization.

The state program is crucial to schools in eastern Washington because it compensates schools that do not receive as much in property taxes as districts with higher valuation assessments.

Without it, school districts will have to rely more on the local taxpayer levies to cover the costs for school services.

Supt. Winters is anticipating a possible layoff or two in the St. John and Endicott school districts after taking a look at the upcoming cuts from the state.

“We might have to do another reduction in force. That’s always painful,” said Winters.

St. John is projected to lose $68,853, and Endicott is projected to lose $56,148.

“I guess we’re saddened by the fact that we have to continue to do more on less. At the same time we realize the economic situation of the state is very difficult,” Winters said.

Colfax Supt. Michael Morgan said his district had been anticipating these losses this fall, but he has tried to send a strong message back to legislators that the district can’t just “absorb” any more cuts after these.

Any more losses of state funding and the Colfax school district will be faced with layoffs, Supt. Morgan told the Gazette.