2019 Legislative Session and the Impacts for Puyallup School District
Washington lawmakers passed a new, two-year state operating budget minutes before the 105-day budget-writing session ended. This Legislative action included changes in the amount of money school districts can collect through local tax levies. Additionally, there are new compliance requirements for smaller class sizes in kindergarten through third grade.
Previous state funding changes
In 2018, when the Washington State Legislature approved a “McCleary Fix,” it came with several problems including:
- • an entirely different system for paying school staff;
- • a new regionalization funding enhancement factor which created significant inequities in funding allocations from district to district; and
- • dramatically reduced local levy capacity for many districts across the state.
Levy authority changes
In the prior legislative session, Puyallup’s levy capacity was reduced by 55 percent. In 2018 the District collected $54.1 million from the Educational Programs and Operations Replacement Levy. In 2019 the District will collect about $26 million.
The recent legislative action would allow Puyallup School District to ask voters for additional levy authority beginning as early as 2020, which, if authorized by the school board and approved by the voters, has the potential to provide an additional estimated $8 million annually to pay for programs and services that supplement basic education.
Class size reduction funding
In order to retain the class size reduction funding we currently receive, we are now required to maintain a district wide average class size of 17 students in kindergarten through third grade. While we have made progress toward the targeted class size in recent years, we will be making significant investments in teacher staffing to meet compliance requirements in 2019-20.
Other factors to consider
School district officials will continue to examine the changes made by legislators to determine other impacts on Puyallup’s budget for the 2019-20 school year.
With reductions in levy authority and increasing expenditures in employee health benefits, special education and new required training for paraeducators, Puyallup is projecting budget deficits in 2019-20 and into the future. Salaries and benefits consume 85% of most school district budgets. Therefore, in addition to operational budget considerations, we must also make tough decisions on staffing not related to K-3 class size. To make these unfortunate staff reductions, we are beginning with normal attrition through retirements and resignations, evaluating classified and administration positions, carefully reviewing employees who were only contracted for the 2018-19 school year, and reducing a minimal number of provisional contract employees. We expect that employee layoffs/ reduction in force will not be necessary.
“Careful stewardship of public dollars has been a top priority of the district over the past several years,” said Superintendent Tim Yeomans. “With our focus on the welfare of Puyallup students, we will continue to consider every dollar and evaluate for greatest impact.”
Ailene Baxter, Director of Human Resources Staffing and School Support
Amie Brandmire, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources
Brian Fox, Chief Communications and Arts Officer
Laura Marcoe, Director of Business Services
Vince Pecchia, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Leadership
Corine Pennington, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Support Services