Key Seattle Schools' Board Work Session on the Budget on Wednesday, September 20,2023

The Board is having a Work Session on the next district budget tomorrow, Wednesday the 20th, from 4:30-6:00 pm. Here's the agenda. (I updated this link as the district has made the actual page link to the agenda not accessible.)

This meeting will be live streamed on SPSTV and broadcast on television on Comcast 26 (standard-def) and 319 (hi-def), Wave 26 (standard-def) and 695 (hi-def), and Century Link 8008 (standard-def) and 8508 (hi-def). By Teleconference: +1 206-800-4125 (Conference ID: 678 122 215#)

The objective of the Work Session is "Provide the foundation for the budget development process for Seattle Schools."

Agenda
• Lessons Learned & Commitments from 2023-24 Process
• Current Situation
• Proposed Goals and Principles
• Proposed Timeline for Budget Development Process
• Board Feedback

I find some of this funny. Like after the last round for budget planning they are "knowledgeable about our budget and fiscal picture." Whew! Glad to know that happened.

Another lesson is "prepared to enter the multi-year fiscal stabilization planning." Which sounds a lot like closing schools is on the horizon.

Another item they figured out - "Expenditures and revenues significantly misaligned." Who approved that expensive teachers contract that apparently nearly everyone at JSCEE knew would be a looming budget issue? 

As well there are "cost pressures" and "emerging needs." This will be an interesting list of items.

Their "Proposed Budget Development Goals:"

• Stabilize our financial future to be able to fund our highest priorities
•  Resolve long term (decades of) structural deficit spending
• Display fiscal stewardship and responsibility

Again, the explanation of those "highest priorities" will be interesting because who developed those and with what public input?

And this slide "Proposed Budget Development Principles:"

Look at this bland wording (except for the tough wording from the Superintendent but this one has NEVER been explained in terms of action):

• Prioritize quality instruction and learning
• We are guided by Guardrail #2: The Superintendent will not allow operational systems to deliver unreliable service
• Good faith efforts. We each share the same values.
• Teamwork – Board and Superintendent are one team.
• Be clear on the challenges and opportunities.

Again, what values? Where is that list and where did it come from? Is it from well-resourced schools forums because those are still going on. 

Slide 16 is a flow chart of meeting dates and strikes me as odd. They don't state if these dates are attached to Work Sessions but I'm guessing they are except for those that are Board meetings. And, the online district calendar nor the Board calendar have none of these maps on them.

Why doesn't the School Board's own calendar have any Board meetings listed for the next couple of months?

- The Board is going to sit on the info from this Work Session for nearly a month? Why are they waiting an entire month if this is such urgent work? They could ALL be doing community engagement.

- They note on the November 15th Board meeting that a budget resolution will be introduced AND that this is "post election." Getting that vibe that there is a rush from both staff and the current Board to try to nail down issues BEFORE the new members of the Board get there. This meeting is where they intro the budget as a resolution. The new members of the Board are likely to be installed on December 5 - the first Board meeting in December.

-  At the December 13th Board meeting, that resolution will be voted on. 

- Then the process proceeds in 2024 and on April 3, 2024, they will present three years worth of budgets (through 2026-2027). 

- A month later in May, there's a meeting - Preview of Impact of the 2024-2025 budget on the next two years' budgets.

- Six weeks later, there will be a public hearing on those impacts. 

- Board votes on the budget just for 2024-2025 and "4-year forecast" in early July.

The next Work Session:Budget is on October 18th with a "preview of budget options" and "community engagement update." This will include the "well-resourced schools" info. 

Know what ISN'T on this timeline? When the Superintendent will present an initial list of schools to be closed. That is absolutely key to the budget and yet, it's left off/out? Hmmm.