Peninsula School District officials are reviewing their 2023-2024 budget, after discovering they won’t receive as much funding as they thought.
[–>
The district announced in a press release Tuesday that they’ll need to make staffing and program adjustments to the budget since enrollment numbers are down.
[–>
The district estimates a $12 million budget deficit, if they maintain current staffing and program levels.
[–>
It’s unclear at this time which positions and programs could see adjustments, Danielle Chastaine, a spokesperson for the district, told the Gateway Wednesday.
[–>
“School districts statewide are funded primarily based on enrollment,” the press release said.
[–>
PSD enrollment numbers have dropped by 5% since 2019, before the pandemic.
[–>
“The state allowed us to maintain our funding based on pre-pandemic enrollment, but that ends this year,” Ashley Murphy, the district’s chief financial officer, said in the press release. “Because we have fewer students than in 2019, our district will receive less in federal, state and local funding.”
[–>
$4 million of the estimated deficit comes from state Legislature’s decision to not renew experience factor funding, according to the district.
[–>
“As part of the 2018 McCleary decision, experience factor funding was provided to school districts that had a higher percentage of senior and experienced staff,” Chastaine said.
[–>
PSD was one of those districts.
[–>
Other districts around the state, such as the Kitsap School District, Bellevue School District, and Seattle School District are also seeing a decrease in enrollment numbers and are evaluating budgets.
[–>
“Our goal is to make any necessary reductions as far from classrooms as possible,” Murphy said in the news release. “With this budget review, we are prioritizing levy-promised staffing and programs in our district. We will also continue to streamline and improve our efficiencies and focus our district priorities based on strategic plan initiatives.”
[–>
The district and union representatives have begun working together to review the budget. They hope to have more information available on the possible reductions by the end of March, Chastaine told the Gateway.
[–>
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
.png)