School funding deficits in Yakima Valley are just one piece of a larger statewide problem | Education

Washington School Districts Struggle to Balance Budgets, Make Cuts

School districts across Washington are facing financial challenges as they struggle to balance their budgets, leading to significant cuts in staff and programs. Toppenish and Yakima school districts have laid off staff, while Prescott School District in Walla Walla County closed its preschool program and let go of its librarian. Mount Baker has rolled back elective and graduation pathway offerings and cut back on staff.

In Seattle, the state’s largest district has proposed closing 20 elementary schools by the 2025-26 school year, which would be one of the largest one-time closures nationally in the last decade. Five districts are currently running in the red, and another 14 districts are facing potential financial trouble ahead, according to a report by OSPI.

The financial struggles can be attributed to inflation, declining enrollment, the end of one-time federal pandemic relief funds, local levy failures, and mismanagement of funds in some districts. Despite a boost in K-12 funding by the state in 2018 to resolve the McCleary lawsuit, significant gaps in funding still remain.

With the federal pandemic relief funds coming to an end this September, districts like Toppenish and Central Valley are feeling the impact as they had used these funds to hire staff to address various needs. The loss of these funds has forced districts to make tough decisions, including staff cuts.

State officials and education leaders are calling for a funding fix, emphasizing the need for the state to fully fund basic education and address staffing ratios and regional variations in cost of living. As districts continue to struggle to balance their budgets, the pressure is on legislators to take action and support school districts to prevent further financial strain.