The Courier-Herald
White River School District administrators are “peeling back the layers” of all the areas where money is spent, looking for ways to dig the district out of a looming financial hole.
School board members met with Superintendent Tom Lockyer and representatives Chuck Hole and Stephen Nielsen of the Puget Sound Educational Service District at a workshop Oct. 24 to discuss the district's options for overcoming what could be a coming financial crisis.
The White River School District has seen approximately $4 million in reductions since 2003-04 school year and is likely to find itself under the watchful eye of the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in the near future when it doesn't end the fiscal year on target. The district is making every effort, Lockyer said, to remain in compliance with state law.
Nielsen and Hole, who work as intermediaries between state and school districts, said it's a dire situation, but not completely doom and gloom. White River has plenty of company, they said, as many districts across the state find themselves in the same situation.
They commended the school district for identifying its financial position and challenges. The good news, they said, is White River is being proactive.
“We are here to help you solve your problem,” Nielsen told the board. “You are in a position of opportunity despite the situation.”
“It will take a long time to turn this ship around,” Hole said. “That's why we want to get on it as fast as we can. You saw it coming. You're ahead of the curve.
“It's bad, potentially,” he continued. “It could be worse, but you're making it better already.”
Nielsen and Hole have emphasized it wasn't the school board or administration that got the district in this situation. It's a predicament school districts across the state are facing as costs rise, enrollment declines and the state and federal government continues to under-fund.
The White River School District has not been immune to increased costs in fuel, utilities, insurance, wages, supplies and technology. The district also saw its enrollment go flat last year and decline by about 20 students this year. State dollars are tied to enrollment.
“I agree with Chuck and Steve, nobody did anything wrong,” Lockyer said. He admitted, however, that the district previously embraced some practices that contributed to the situation and those are changing.
He said the district has tightened its belt and continues to go through the budget, line by line, looking for places to save.
Nielsen and Hole offered some “perceptions and recommendations,” although the board will make the final decisions.
“We're not telling you what to do, just giving you perspective,” Nielsen said.
In a nutshell, they suggested a three-year plan to present a balanced budget by the end of the 2008-09 school year; address the staffing issues for the 2008-09 school year; and begin to grow financial reserves through the 2009-11 school year.
They recommended the board establish a policy to establish a 5 percent reserve account.
Nielsen said the board will have to make tough choices to maintain a balanced budget. He cited districts like Seattle, Shoreline and Morton that have gone through, or are going through, similar processes.
Lockyer said there could be cuts in administration, buildings, staffing, programs, maintenance and operation and transportation. Administrators will also be looking at the basics of doing business and examine programs like the secondary master schedule, sixth-grade camp and other non-employee related costs.
“The cuts have to be sustainable,” Lockyer said. “Once we make those cuts they're not coming back.
“It's got to be permanent, not something that's a Band-Aid,” he said.
Lockyer reminded the board the priority of the district is students and learning, and there are bright spots.
“We're doing neat, neat things because we're using state categorical monies in the right ways,” he said.
The discussion is expected to continue at future board meetings.
Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@courierherald.com.
