MOSES LAKE, Wash. — The Moses Lake School Board passed a budget resolution on Saturday that could lead to over 100 teachers and staff being laid off.
The Reduced Education Program Resolution begins the process to approve budget cuts needed to address the $20 million deficit in the 2024-2025 budget.
One reason the district faces this situation is the maintenance and operations levy that failed in February and April. The district’s current levy will expire at the end of 2024. The district will have no levy funding for at least a year starting in 2025.
North Central Education Services District Deputy Superintendent Lynda McKay said one reason for the budget deficit was an overestimate of the district’s total enrollment.
“This total, the 84 million versus 86 million, your projected portion of what you were gonna earn is now reduced by $1.9 million. Because budgeted students was over what actually came through the door,” McKay said.
Other factors lead to the $20 million deficit for the next school year, such as reduced state funding and general overspending. The district also reported an accounting error of $11 million.
These factors may lead to more than 100 staff in the district being laid off. Employees make up 80% of the district budget, McKay said.
Amy Breitenstein, on the board of directors, said she has been receiving complaints from the community about how things were able to get to this point.
“It’s really concerning, and we’re hearing a lot from our community members, a lot of them are employed with the Moses Lake school district; it’s really concerning that some of these oversights were in the checks and balances process and not found, Breitenstein said.
Proposed cuts outside of personnel were presented, but none that would be enough to erase the deficit they are faced with.
Affected administrative staff and those under collective bargaining agreements will be notified by May 15th, and all other staff must be notified by June 1st.
