The Snoqualmie Valley School District may have to sack teachers if the state Legislature does not fully fund Initiative-728.
At a public hearing March 12, district administrators reviewed Initiative-728 funds and showed three options available to the school board regarding how to handle Initiative-728 money.
The district is required to have an Initiative-728 hearing every year, but it held it early this year, due to looming state cuts.
Washington state voters approved Initiative-728 in the November 2000 election with 74 percent of the vote. The initiative directed surplus state revenues toward reducing class size, extending learning opportunities for students who need or want it and investing in educators and their professional development.
About 31 teachers in the Snoqualmie Valley School District are paid for by Initiative-728. To help lessen the state’s more than $8 billion budget deficit, Gov. Chris Gregoire’s 2009-11 budget proposes cutting Initiative-728 by about 25 percent. Although initially hoping the initiative would not experience such a large cut, educators are now hoping it will remain at 25 percent, instead of jumping to a more severe cutback.
District Teaching and Learning Director Don McConkey reviewed how the district had managed past Initiative-728 funds.
School districts across Washington received the first Initiative-728 funds in 2001. The Snoqualmie Valley School Board opted not to use the funds immediately, and instead sat on the money for a year. Because the initiative was only approved for a two-year period, the board decided it would be cautious in using the funds. If the money were not renewed with the next state budget, the board did not want to start unsustainable projects.
“They made a decision and, in hindsight, it was a very wise decision,” McConkey said.
Due to the school board’s caution, the district now has a year of Initiative-728 reserve funds. This reserve may temporarily buffer cuts made by the state in 2009.
When the district began using Initiative-728 to fund programs and teachers, they started small. Over time, the district used 89 percent of the initiative money to lower class sizes by hiring more teachers.
The district invested 3 percent of the funds in extended student learning programs before, during and after school. While some of these programs — like summer school — still cost tuition, the initiative helps lower fees.
“We try to keep tuition costs down and back them with I-728 funds,” McConkey said.
The final 8 percent of the initiative is spent on professional development for teachers.
The district analyzed student WASL scores and showed that student scores had improved since the start of the district utilizing initiative funds. While smaller class sizes, extended student help and ongoing professional development for teachers may have played a large role in these better WASL scores, McConkey acknowledged there could also be other factors influencing the scores.
With Initiative-728 facing state cuts, district Business Director Ron Ellis and McConkey presented three scenarios the district could take.
In the first scenario, the district would continue to fund all of its teachers and programs and draw on its reserves.
“If I-728 were to go away, we would still have the resources going forward, at least for the short-term,” McConkey said. “It would give us time to figure out the long-term.”
In the second scenario, the district would maintain its reserve and reduce its spending, cutting programs and teachers.
The third scenario, much like the first, would maintain a sufficient I-728 cumulative balance to support ongoing teacher professional development.
With other funding sources in danger of being reduced or eliminated, “We want to be able to continue to support professional development for all teachers in the district,” McConkey said.
In addition to state budget cuts, McConkey said the district had reason to be concerned about Initiative-728 funds because the new teacher’s union contract promises higher salaries for certified staff. Initiative-728 funds will have to cover any increase in compensation for the 31.1 teachers it supports.
“We’re beginning to draw down that balance quicker than we initially predicted,” McConkey said.
During the hearing’s public comment period, parents and teachers alike urged the district to do its best to retain teachers.
Two Rivers teacher Jack Webber reminded the school board that smaller class sizes help children learn.
“There is truly only one factor when you walk in in the morning, and that is class size,” Webber said, adding that larger class sizes increase students’ stress levels, increase conflicts and decrease visibility.
Snoqualmie Education Association President Art Galloway said the union had been preparing for potential layoffs. Regular attrition from retirements and teachers leaving the district may account for some cases, but Initiative-728 may lead to “reduction in force,” which teachers term “RIF.”
“I was riffed in 1981,” Galloway said. “I have been through those times.”
He said it was unfortunate the money from the federal economic stimulus package would probably not arrive in time to be factored into the district’s annual budget. The federal money is expected to arrive within a couple of weeks, but the Washington state Legislature will need time to decide how to distribute it.
“That’s really hard on the teachers,” Galloway said. “I’m proud with how hard we’re working and trying not to be distracted.”
Reach reporter Laura Geggel at 392-6434 .221 or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com.
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