Teachers laid off in school budget limbo

Most school districts around Whitman County passed out layoff notices this week, meeting the May 15 state deadline for Reductions in Force (RIF) notification.

An uncertain state budget for education led many school districts in eastern Washington to make estimates on the amounts of layoffs needed to balance their budgets.

However, when the final education budget from the state emerges in another few weeks, many of the staff members who received a RIF notice could be hired back.

“I don’t know if I can say a majority, but many of our school districts are having to RIF employees. I think some of the RIFs are based on not knowing what the final [state] budget will be and yet having to make that decision by the May 15 deadline,” said Mike Dunn, Superintendent of Educational Service District 101 which serves eastern Washington.

The Rosalia school district laid off two full-time para-educators, who act as classroom aides, and reduced to part-time the position of school superintendent and one music teacher.

“It’s hitting us just like everybody else,” said Tom Crowley, Rosalia superintendent, who is retiring at the end of this school year. He added once the final state budget emerges, his district may be able to hire back the para-educator positions.

Staff in the Colfax school district will see one layoff of a high school English teacher and two year-to-year contracts for staff that will not be renewed, after the Colfax school board approved those changes at a meeting Monday night.

Glenda Grimm will retire this year, and her JES position will not be filled.

The two new junior high math teachers with year-to-year contracts will not be renewed. Supt. Michael Morgan said other teachers on staff will fill in.

“I’m not sure what else we can do from a budget standpoint until we know what the state is going to pay for,” Colfax school board president Brian Becker said at Monday night’s board meeting.

Dunn said the final staffing placements for schools in eastern Washington won’t be certain until the final state budget comes out.

The legislature is still in a 30-day special session.

If the state calls a second special session, the final figures for the education budget may not be finalized until June, Dunn said.

“I think the only way school districts can avoid RIFs, if at all possible, would be either because they have growing enrollment or they have sufficient retirements they know about that cover the reductions they may have to make,” Dunn said.

Spokane Public Schools passed out a record 238 layoff notices to certified staff the first week of May.