MARYSVILLE, Wash. — The state announced that Dr. Arthur Jarvis will serve as special administrator to the Marysville School District as they work to navigate unprecedented financial strain facing the district.
Jarvis is "authorized to direct changes to any and all business practices within the district," according to a letter from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal.
The Marysville School District entered into binding financial conditions with the state one year ago when it could not submit a balanced budget - an "unprecedented" move designed to save the district from insolvency.
The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction says without intervention, the district could face a catastrophic deficit within the next few years.
If Marysville School District's leaders' spending doesn’t meet the criteria set by Reykdal, the district -- comprised of nearly 10,000 students -- stands at risk of being dissolved altogether.
Reykdal told the school board at the beginning of the year, "I have lost confidence that the district has the decision-making tools or current personnel necessary to fix its financial situation on their own."
The district puts part of the blame on two failed levees that would have yielded $25 million in funding. They add that they continue to see enrollment numbers dip post-COVID and say they are struggling to maintain pay raises secured by teachers during the pandemic.
“Although impacted by the loss of $26.5M in levy funding, the district’s funding challenges are further complicated by the loss of state funding as we work to meet the growing needs of students while balancing the increasing costs associated with those needs," said President of the Marysville School District Board of Directors Connor Krebbs. "Many Washington school districts find themselves in a similar, difficult financial position – with costs and needs exceeding funding from the state."
With enhanced oversight by the state, Marysville leaders are currently forbidden from hiring, handing out employee bonuses, and purchasing technology, among other things.
KING 5's Maddie White contributed to this report.
