PORT ANGELES – The Port Angeles School District faces a budget hole heading into next year. However, it’s not as deep as in previous years, and officials don’t expect to lay off any staff to fill it.
Superintendent Marty Brewer says next year’s budget is about $1.3 million in the red. He says to balance that, the district will look at potential student enrollment numbers more conservatively.
“Really, enrollment drives your finances and so our board established our enrollment at 3305 students, which this year are averages are 3327. So we want to be really conservative with our budget planning so that you know, when we establish a budget and roll moment comes in then you can add back you can’t take away,” Brewer told Newsradio KONP.
It amounts to about 20 fewer students expected next year,” Brewer said. Unlike past years, the district will not use Reduction in Force notices to make up the difference.
“And we’ll do that not by way of RIFs, but we will be doing that through attrition and looking up positions that become available assessing that position to determine do we need it or not and balance the budget that way,” said Brewer.
Although the district is facing a deficit again this year, it’s not as deep as last year when the district had a $5 million shortfall.
That’s not the case for Sequim Schools. That district will cut over 28 full-time-equivalent positions to save approximately $2.7 million from the general fund.
The board of directors unanimously authorized Superintendent Regan Nickels to implement these reductions, which will affect 37 employees. The cuts include not replacing retiring, resigning, or leave-taking staff, and eliminating positions