SNOHOMISH — Classrooms here will be more crowded this fall, if the Snohomish School Board approves the district’s proposed budget for the 2011-2012 school year.
The budget calls for the elimination of 34 teaching positions — a reduction that will be accomplished through attrition and non-renewal of one-year contracts. It also cuts back on grounds keeping and adds furlough days for administrators.
A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 6 tonight at the district’s Resources and Service Center Board Room, 1601 Ave. D.
The school board is scheduled to vote on the budget on Aug. 24.
The district projects between three and five more students per classroom this coming year. Students are still registering, so the district won’t have final numbers until this fall, spokeswoman Kristin Foley said.
As for job cuts, about half of the eliminated positions were left vacant by teachers retiring or taking leave of absence. The rest, or 15.9 positions, were teachers whose one-year contracts were not renewed.
Earlier this year, the district sent out layoff notices to 41 full-time teachers and other employees. All of those people will retain their jobs, Foley said.
In total, the district had 574 full-time teaching positions last school year and it projects to have 540 for the next year. The school district had 541 in 2009-10.
“We are seeing the effects of the economy and the state Legislature cuts in education,” superintendent Bill Mester said.
There’s a silver lining in the budget, however.
Enrollment for full-day kindergarten has grown so much that now every elementary school will have at least one class. These classes are paid by the parents but people unable to pay have received scholarship help from the Snohomish Education Foundation.
Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422; adominguez@heraldnet.com.
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