Levy Money Helps Issaquah School District Cushion Shock of Millions of Dollars in State Budget Cuts

Despite millions of fewer dollars from the state, class sizes will remain the same and teachers will be able to earn back their previously-announced salary cut, district administrators said Thursday.

In addition, teachers who received a notice that their job would end because incoming state money has dropped are eligible to be recalled to their positions, Issaquah School District Superintendent Steve Rasmussen said in a letter to his staff.

The moves follow the Wednesday evening passage of the compromise state budget, in which lawmakers reacted to the Great Recession's aftermath by slashing more than $4 billion in spending. For the Issaquah School District, that translates into more than $4.3 million for each of the next two academic years.

To make up this gap, the district is drawing upon its maintenance and operational levy, tightening bus routes and examining utility use, among other ideas, district spokeswoman Sara Niegowski said in an email. The majority of the money to bridge the state shortfall is coming from the levy.

“We would be in a much, much different position if not for our local maintenance and operations levy,” Rasmussen said in his letter.

“In fact, the increased levy dollars are significantly responsible for filling the 2011-12 budget gap.”

The district also will reduce some non-classroom services, such as maintenance, tap its reserves, increase some fees and rely on support from PTSAs and the Issaquah Schools Foundation. This academic year alone, the Foundation has contributed about $1 million to the district.

Tapping reserve money to save teaching jobs had been discussed at an April school board meeting. The Issaquah Education Association, which represents teachers, supported the move.

But Jake Kuper, the district finance chief, talked about the board requirement that a certain percentage of the total budget be maintained in the reserve fund. At the time, he said, reserve funds were about $12 million.

The teacher salary hole left by fewer state dollars – and which breaks down to a 1.9 percent pay cut – will be covered through the district’s Professional Growth Incentive Fund and 10 additional hours of development and training classes, Niegowski said.

The extra training would take place outside of working hours but would be compensated.

For the 36 teachers who received a notice that their jobs would be eliminated because of the state dollar drop, they will – in essence – return to their positions under certain circumstances, Niegowski said.

If a teaching position no longer exists, such as one for Japanese instruction, because no student had enrolled in a specific class, a job would be lost, she added.

“Teachers who have a position will receive recall notices, and that process could go on through the summer as enrollment and class schedules are solidified,” Niegowski wrote. “Some may know right away; others might take a bit longer.”

Kindergarten through fourth-grade class sizes will remain the same because the district is pulling from different sources to make up the more than $1.7 million in state money that will end. That money went to keep the class size ratios small.

Rasmussen explained that the district will work with other district labor groups to work within the confines of the state budget. For example, administrators are likely to see a 3 percent pay cut.

“These salary decreases are lawmakers’ way of pushing the difficult decision about how to make the majority of cuts back to the local level,” Rasmussen wrote in his letter.

“All across the state, districts are struggling with implementation – whether actual paychecks are slashed, furloughs are implemented, or positions reduced.”

While he warned that the upcoming academic year will likely have heavier workloads for district employees, he called on staff members to be supportive, resourceful and creative.

He also pointed to the families and other community members in the district.

“The silver lining is that I am reminded of how fortunate we are to work in a district where education is a top priority,” he wrote. “Residents here refuse to let their local schools and children languish at state funding levels.”

Editor's note: Sammamish Patch has contacted the Issaquah Education Association for a response to the plan announced by the Issaquah School District. This story will be updated.