Public Education Takes Huge Hit, Senate Plans to Slash $1.3B

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By Chelsea Kopta

Summary

It appears schools might take the biggest brunt of state budget cuts as senate democrats slashed $1.3 billion in their proposed budget Monday morning.

Story Published: Mar 30, 2009 at 4:52 PM PST

TRI CITIES -- It's a sobering day for schools.

"I'm angry, I'm angry we're paying hundreds of billions of dollars to wall street and to everyone else and at the same time cutting programs that directly affect them," Richland School Board President Rick Jansons said. "It's not their fault and they're baring the brunt of the problem."

State superintendent Randy Dorn put it like this:

"While it is readily apparent that the Committee has worked hard to equalize the reductions across school districts, the budget still imposes very disturbing reductions....Districts are on the brink of a financial crisis. Without help, teachers will be laid off, class sizes will balloon, services will be cut."

And they will if the senate's plan goes through. Districts will lose $753 million to reduce class size in Initiative-728, $285 million to equalize property-poor districts through Levy Equalization, and more than $400 million in other cuts.

"I'm concerned about the whole program," Jansons said. "If it's worse case, if it's worse case scenario, than we're cutting teachers," Jansons said.

And they are. i checked with districts from Yakima to Pasco. Richland said it expects to cut $4 million from the budget, and possible a dozen teachers.

And Richland is one of the smallest districts.

"Our priority is maintaining staffing levels," Kennewick School District Spokesperson Lorraine Cooper said. "our other priority is fiscal responsibility."

Kennewick is willing to wait for people to retire, or forgo renewing contracts, before teachers are let go. They'll scale back travel, supplies and equipment to do it.

Pasco and Yakima are worried about levy equalization that's on the chopping block, the system to balance out poor districts with ones in affluent areas. Both districts are calling it unfair. My research shows, nearly every district in Eastern Washington would be impacted by these changes.

"It's difficult for everybody, families and public agencies," Cooper said.

Right now they're all just proposals but the impact would be enormous.

RESOURCES:

-- Sen. Tom spoke on the impacts of the budget:

http://blog.senatedemocrats.wa.gov/tom/sen-tom-explains-senate-budget-proposal/


-- Eight minute documentary highlighting the major cuts in the budget:

http://blog.senatedemocrats.wa.gov/the-hopper/washington-values-and-budget-realities/


--Sen. Keiser video on the impacts facing Washington’s health care system:

http://blog.senatedemocrats.wa.gov/keiser/video-keiser-says-1-million-to-feel-health-care-cuts/

(video will be live shortly)