The Edmonds School District made an estimated $10 million in cuts to staff, services and programs over the past year, according to estimates Edmonds School District Business and Finance Director Lydia Sellie provided Thursday to the My Neighborhood News Network.
The district is projecting a budget deficit of $8.5 million for the 2025-26 school year, falling from the $10.6 million deficit estimated for 2024-25. But these figures aren’t set in stone. With the current school year still in progress, the district’s exact expenditures for 2024-25 are still to be calculated. Additionally, final budget estimates for next school year aren’t expected until late June.
At a special board meeting in April 2024, the district reviewed a set of budget recommendations to balance the 2024-25 budget. Sellie confirmed Thursday the district had followed through with all of the proposed cuts.
While some cuts were made in light of the budget shortfall, the district has always adjusted staffing and services based on demand and enrollment numbers, Sellie said in an email. If not enough students sign up for a program or class, the district makes cuts as necessary,
Additionally, eliminating a position doesn’t always mean the district is laying off a staff member, as some staff hold more than one position or existing staff are paid extra for duties outside of their primary job.
The following is a list of expenditure reductions the district made in the past year and the estimated savings of each reduction:
15% Central office reductions: $3 million
– 1 assistant superintendent
– 1 administrative assistant
– 1.2 directors
– 2 managers
– 1 professional technical
– 2 office professionals and an additional reduction in hours and days
Eliminated: 2 of 3 mailers and printed calendars: $52,000
Eliminated stipends for athletic flex coaches: $145,000
Eliminated kindergarten Jump Start Program: $242,000
Changed middle school registrar model: $111,000
– Two of four positions were eliminated, number of days were increased for the remaining positions.
Reduced building budgets by 10%: $100,000
Reduced high school office professional staffing by 10%: $210,000
Eliminated fifth- grade band and orchestra (~5 full time employees): $766,000
Eliminated equity professional development: $68,000
Eliminated family engagement liaison positions (two positions): $240,000
Eliminated student leadership conference: $20,000
Eliminated kindergarten fair: $20,000
Eliminated graduation live stream: $10,000
Reduced school-based paraeducators by 20 hours per day: $173,000
Limited substitutes: $50,000
Changed student perception survey: $33,000
Eliminated high school, middle school and grant funded or one-time funded elementary student intervention coordinators and overall reductions at the elementary level: (7 positions): $695,000
Eliminated Edmonds Family Preschool program (1 position): $86,000
Moved Edmonds eLearning Academy to Woodway Campus, and reduced non-teaching staff (three positions): $516,000
Reduced support services including custodial hours/days, eliminated vacant positions and made reductions to supplies, materials, and purchased services: $2.475 million
One-time student library allocation reduction: $195,000
One-time reduction in school carryovers: $802,00
On Tuesday, April 15 the school board is scheduled to review a potential staff reduction plan – with 12 positions on the line if the district deems it necessary to balance next year’s budget.
Sellie didn’t offer additional comments on the cuts, but said there is “still time for the [state] Legislature to do the right thing.”
In the final days of the state legislative session, local education leaders called on lawmakers in Olympia to support bills that would provide more educational funding. The state is facing an education funding crisis, and the burden is being shouldered by students and teachers, Edmonds School District Superintendent Rebecca Miner, Edmonds School District Board of Directors President Nancy Katims and Edmonds Education Association President Andi Nofziger said in a letter in March.
Read here for more information on how the district is considering closing its projected $8.5 million budget gap ahead of the 2025-26 school year.
— Contact Ashley at ashley@myedmondsnews.com.
Seems to me all that is left to cut is the administrate bureaucracy and associated spending. I would have cut all that first but here we are.
As someone who is familiar with the IT department for Edmonds School District and others, I can say this: tech departments are one of the most overlooked sources of budget waste. I’ve seen expensive gear bought, used once, then shelved and forgotten, only to be sent to surplus later or thrown away as trash.
Instead of cutting programs that directly serve students, why not rethink Information Technology? A lot of this work could be outsourced to independent professionals at a fraction of the cost. Time to audit the tech closets, the savings are in there.
It is astounding of a common thread through all of these government entities:
1. Schools are in the red
2. Edmonds is in the red
3. Snohomish County is somewhat in the red
4. Washington State is in the red
These entities sure do like the color red…
…Just sayin’
Saddens me to see a few of these things were eliminated completely, where I would have liked to see more of a reduction rather than to donaway with the program altogether. Things like 5th grade band and Orchestra, kindergarten Jump Start Program, family engagement liaison positions, the kindergarten fair. I remember in school in the 5th grade, being able to participate in band or Orchestra set you up for when you entered into middle school and helped improve students learning outcomes or engagement. The kindergarten Jumpstart program and the kindergarten fair are very shocking cuts as well. But, my son left the edmonds school district right before kindergarten. He was able to participate in the wonderful program at Edmonds College Childcare center, which helped Jump Start him and gave him the tools and knowledge to really shine in his new school district. No one seems to remember that the early learning years are so very important for child development and learning.