EVERETT, Wash. — Everett Public Schools could cut full-time positions to deal with a looming budget deficit.
On Tuesday night, at a special meeting, school leaders discussed how revenues are not keeping up with expenses. Everett Public Schools is predicting that it will have to possibly cut as many as 142 positions to deal with a nearly $28 million budget deficit next school year.
"Having news like this is unsettling. It's frustrating,” said Jared Kink, the president of the Everett Education Association, a union with roughly 1,400 members.
"They have to prepare for worst-case scenario. And worst-case scenarios are really scary,” said Kink. "With a little bit of lowered enrollment, higher inflation, all those pieces coming together, we understand districts are in a crunch, and Olympia needs to do a better job".
He said the state does not cover all basic education costs and right now districts are dealing with the loss of ESSER dollars.
"ESSER dollars or dollars that came federally to help offset many of the problems related to the pandemic, those dollars have gone away," Kink said. "But the district used those dollars really, really well to meet the needs of students."
He says those needs are still there, but soon some services and teaching positions might not be.
Everett Public Schools released a statement, saying in part that "a good portion of the FTE reductions may be managed through attrition (retirements and resignations)."
"But those are positions or services that help teachers help kids, and that's going to be a loss,” said Kink. "We need to figure out how to overcome the lack of funding from Olympia and still meet the needs of students."
According to the district, plans will be finalized, and Everett Public Schools will communicate budget and staff reductions by mid-April. The district will be refining the budget numbers as more information comes in, and providing up-to-date information on its budget page.