Want to Have Some Kind of Say on the Cuts to SPS Programs and Staff? Good Luck!

There's a School Board meeting tonight. Looking at the agenda, the speaker list is again dominated by the cuts to the Washington Middle School jazz program.

It's a short agenda with just one Action Item (but, once again, it's Intro/Action because why bother with any real public engagement or discussion)?

That item is - Approval of Board Resolution No. 2022/23-14, Direction for 2023-24 Fiscal Stabilization Plan

This Board Action would adopt Board Resolution No. 2022/23-14, which provides Board
direction to the Superintendent to present a portfolio of proposed actions to balance the 2023-24
operating budget, including reductions to district operations and educational programs, for the
Board’s review and acceptance, prior to the Board’s adoption of the complete District operating
budget for the 2023-24 school year.

Here's the relevant "whereas" from the Resolution:

WHEREAS, because the District does not have the presently assured financial resources to
maintain its program and services at the present levels for the 2023-24 fiscal year, it is necessary
to take certain actions, including reductions in the District’s operations and educational program

The Board has to vote for the 2023-24 school year budget around July 1st. Today's date is April 27th. That is an incredibly short period of time for this "fiscal stabilization plan." Yes, of course, I'm certain the Superintendent and his staff already know full well exactly what they want to do. But rolling it out slowly before announcing the actual plan - so as to fend off parent and union distress - that's classic SPS. 

But in the actual "be it resolved" area, there's this:

The Superintendent is directed to present the Fiscal Stabilization Plan for review by the
Board at its May 3, 2023 Budget Work Session, and for Introduction and Action by the
Board on during a Board Special Meeting May 10, 2023;

May 3rd is a week from today and May 10th the week after.

Under the "Equity Analysis" for this BAR:

The Board is implementing a new governance framework (Student Outcomes Focused
Governance). This Board Action will allow the board to evaluate the equity impacts of budget
reductions and actions. The action was not reviewed with the district Racial Equity Analysis
Tool. Future implementation work and policy revisions will include equity analysis.

Really? Of ALL the work the Board does, you'd think the budget might need equity analysis. 

Two of the "whereas" statements from the Resolution:

WHEREAS, the costs of basic education and of services to meet student needs emerging from
the COVID-19 pandemic continue to increase;

WHEREAS, the funds received by the District through the federal Elementary and Secondary
School Emergency Relief Fund have been allocated and are non-recurring;

My recent blog post about the ESSER funds asked the question if the Board has had any oversight of that spending. I can't recall any questions at any Board meeting this year. I'd have to go back to 2021, 2022 and see if there was any discussion back when the Board had actual committees that would be overseeing this kind of thing. 

So after the "whereas" statements comes the "be it resolved" statement that includes this:

The Superintendent is directed to incorporate into the Fiscal Stabilization Plan the use of
all or part of the Economic Stabilization Fund;

The Superintendent will, prior to the introduction of the 2023-24 District operating
budget in a Regular Meeting of the Board, update the Board on any significant variations
in necessary program reductions if the final Washington State 2023-25 biennial operating
budget results in a significantly different level of revenue for the District than anticipated

Fasten your seatbelts.

Comments

Transparency/ Communication Needed said…
Am I correct in saying that future budget cuts were made visible to the public during December budget meetings?

4/26/23, 6:44 PM
Anonymous said…
Directors Hampson and Rankin were very clear about this. They believe they were elected, so they can do whatever they want. If you want input into what the district does, their view is that your only input is when you vote school board members into office. You'll have another chance for input in November.

Disgruntled Taxpayer
4/27/23, 9:10 AM
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