SNOHOMISH — Seven school custodians and maintenance workers will lose their jobs, and many other school district employees will have their hours and days reduced.
In another ripple effect of the state’s reduction in funding for education, the Snohomish School District will cut its budget by $676,000. That’s less than 1 percent of the $90 million operating budget.
“It is to make up for the cuts the state gave us,” Superintendent Bill Mester said.
On Wednesday, the Snohomish School Board approved unanimously seven of the proposed 12 layoffs and the elimination of four positions. The board also approved five furlough days in the summer for various employees.
The superintendent, executive directors and principals are among those taking the furloughs.
One of the positions eliminated was a part-time secretary. Another was filled by a temporary employee. Some affected by layoffs moved to other positions in the school district.
A number of the cuts are effective immediately. Others will take effect on March 1.
“We have had worse cuts before,” Mester said. “But never had the state taken money back that had been committed to us.”
The school district is losing $500,000 from what the state said it would supply at the beginning of the school year for hiring additional teachers. The money could have been used to pay 10 teachers.
By state law, teachers and principals cannot be laid off in the middle of the school year. This meant looking to the 530 other district employees to close the funding gap.
The cuts immediately effective represent a reduction of $332,000 this school year.
On March 1, four custodians, three maintenance workers and a secretary will be laid off.
Other pending cuts include reducing the hours of office personnel on Fridays, the days when the students leave early.
The district expects it will need to make more cuts. Governor Christine Gregoire has a proposed budget that will take another $500,000 from the Snohomish School District, according to Al Swanson, executive director of business services and operations.
Effects in the classrooms will be immediately apparent.
“There would be less administrative support to enable special education programs,” Swanson said.
The staff also will spend more time filling state mandates that are not related to education, said Justin Fox-Bailey, president of the Snohomish Education Association.
Snohomish is not alone in facing cuts. The Marysville School District could have up to 50 layoffs in the nonteaching school staff to fill a budget shortfall of almost $1 million.
“This is not a Snohomish School District problem. It is a state funding problem,” Fox-Bailey said.
The district is benefiting now by exercising spending controls, he said.
“Some school districts won’t survive within the next two years. Snohomish will,” Fox-Bailey said.
Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422; adominguez@heraldnet.com.
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