Updates
August 31
The School Board adopted the
final 2011-2012 Issaquah School District budget.
July 18: 2011-2012 budget documents
May 26: District and teachers association reach a deal to recall RIF’ed staff, earn back salary cuts
Based on the Legislature's final budget, the District and Issaquah Education Association reached an agreement that will allow certificated staff to earn back the 1.9-percent state salary decrease by taking on more professional-development trainings outside the school day. Also, class sizes will remain steady, meaning all teachers who received a Reduction in Force notice are eligible for recall.
May 24: News release
Legislature’s compromise budget cuts $4.3 million from Issaquah Schools
April 27: Dr. Rasmussen unveils "worst-case scenario" budget plan and reduction in force.
On Wednesday, April 27, Superintendent Steve Rasmussen and administrators presented a financial plan to the School Board that outlines $2.74 million in reductions in the operating budget that may be necessary if state legislators land on a worst-case funding model for K-12 public education. These reductions include $715,000 in off-setting cuts to operations—in areas such as custodial and maintenance hours—that will be implemented next school year. The District also established a Reduction in Force (RIF) line in the certificated seniority list; the District will recall employees on the RIF list depending on the final state budget's funding reductions to the District.
THINKING CREATIVELY TOGETHER
Please e-mail us your ideas about:
- Any possible revenue sources that we may not be aware of as a District.
- Suggestions for stretching our operational dollars.
The Issaquah School District is in the midst of its 2011-2012 budget planning process. The good news is that—unlike many districts statewide that have had to cut millions of dollars from their budgets in recent years even before the state's major reductions to education funding—we have remained financially solvent. This is the result of:
If the District next year were to be funded by the state at current levels, we would expect to make minor adjustments to operations and service levels to balance the 2011-2012 budget.
However, Washington is again facing a significant budget deficit of at least $5 billion. As legislators work in the next several months to reduce spending across departments and programs, public education will surely be impacted. This will compound the $11-million in revenue cuts that the state has made to the Issaquah School District the last two school years. In fact, something unprecedented has already happened this fall-the legislature implemented $1.45-million in revenue cuts to the District mid-school year.
We expect the coming reductions from the state to be "categorical," meaning direct funding sources for specific purposes will be eliminated or significantly reduced. In order to protect students' quality educational experience as much as possible, the District has been and will continue to look for operational savings and efficiencies; however, because our program and service levels are already so lean, it is likely that we will need to absorb significant revenue reductions by trimming those areas that lose direct categorical funding from the state.
For the next several months, we will closely monitor the legislative session, and the District will continue to provide information to both lawmakers as they create the state budget and to our local community advocates who are asking legislators to make public education a priority.
In the meantime, we invite community and staff members to send us ideas and suggestions for stretching our operational dollars. Creative thinking is always welcome-whether in a budget-cutting situation or otherwise, we strive to operate smartly and preserve as much funding as possible for the classroom. Please e-mail us your ideas. We might not be able to respond to each suggestion individually, but all will be captured and considered by administrators.
Critical dates affecting budget planning
Check back for exact dates as the legislative session progresses
- December 11: Legislature holds special session to address revenue gap in the current year's budget. ($1 million decrease to Issaquah's 2010-2011 budget)
- December 15: Governor releases preliminary state budget ($3.17 million revenue reduction for ISD)
- January through March: Superintendent Steve Rasmussen meets with staff members at all buildings for a "state of the state" budget discussion.
- January 10: State Legislature convenes.
- February 9: Issaquah School Board adopts Budget Guidelines.
- April 4: House Ways and Means Committee releases proposed budget. ($3.095 million revenue reduction to ISD)
- April 13: Senate Ways and Means Committee releases proposed budget.($5.29 million revenue reduction to ISD)
- March-April: Superintendent presents budget philosophy for 2011-12 to School Board.
- March: State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council produces new economic forecast.
- April 24: Final day of 2011 legislative session.
- April: School Board holds hearing on use of I-728 funds if I-728 funds are reinstated.
- April 27: Per District contract, the School Board must notify the Issaquah Education Association by the last board meeting in April if it anticipates a Reduction in Force (RIF). The School Board must establish the level of seniority required to guarantee a certificated staff member's position for the following school year.
- May 15: By state law, school districts must issue Reduction in Force (RIF) notices to certificated staff members who may not have a contract the following year.
- May 24: House and Senate release compromise budget. ($4.312 million revenue reduction to ISD)
- June-August: Five-member Financial Advisory Core Team (FACT) meets to review budget development. Team includes representatives from the School Board, teachers association, classified associations, and PTSA.
- June/July: District completes budget.
- August: School Board holds a public hearing on the proposed 2011-2012 District budget.
- August: School Board adopts 2011-2012 budget.
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