The Kiona-Benton City School District in Washington is facing a fresh round of cuts after approving its spending plan for the coming school year. The board signed off on the budget for next school year knowing it would mean fewer jobs and tighter operations, a step that officials made clear was not taken lightly as the small district tries to steady its finances.
The newly approved plan is a 22 million dollar budget, and much of the strain falls on staffing. Under the budget, eight teaching positions and three administrative roles will be eliminated, including the district's chief finance officer. The reductions do not stop at teachers and administrators, as the district is also making some cuts to classified staff.
The scale of the reductions weighed heavily on the officials who had to approve them. School board members described the decision as painful, acknowledging the impact that losing teachers and staff will have on the district and its schools. The vote reflected the difficult position of a district trying to close a budget gap while keeping classrooms running.
One area the board moved to protect was athletics at the middle school level. The school board voted to keep middle school sports funded, narrowly rejecting a proposal that would have cut them to save 108,000 dollars. The close vote showed how contested even smaller line items became as the district weighed where to trim.
Despite the cuts, the district's financial troubles are far from resolved. Even with the reductions in place, the district still expects an 818,000 dollar deficit by the end of next year. That projected shortfall signals that the approved budget, painful as it was, may not be enough on its own to fully stabilize the district's finances.
The pressure on Kiona-Benton comes as it operates under close scrutiny. The district is under state oversight due to past levy failures and failing enrollment, two problems that have steadily eroded its financial footing. Fewer students and repeated levy setbacks have left the district with less money to work with even as costs continue.
Looking ahead, the district is turning to voters for help. Kiona-Benton is asking voters to approve a replacement levy this November, a measure that could ease some of the financial pressure if it passes. The outcome of that vote is likely to play a significant role in shaping the district's budget and staffing decisions in the years that follow.