Strike cost Marysville schools $400,000

MARYSVILLE -The 49-day Marysville teachers strike cost taxpayers about $400,000, the school district says.

The money was spent by the district on security guards, classified employees’ salaries, attorney fees and other expenses including custodians, bargaining expenses and public records requests.

Marysville teachers are working without a new contract.

“Marysville School District carefully balanced the safeguards on tax dollars while ensuring the safety and effective operations of the district during the state’s longest teachers strike,” read the announcement from the district’s communications office. “Having staff in our buildings during the strike not only served families but also create a more secure environment for the millions in tax-supported buildings and materials. The district believes that these dollars would have been better spent on helping students reach standards and improve performance on the WASL test.”