Comment: Leaders, community put Marysville schools on track
Published 1:30 am Saturday, December 13, 2025
By Chris Reykdal / For The Herald
In the summer of 2023, the Marysville School District became one of the first school districts in Washington to be placed under state financial oversight.
Following the failure of two school funding levies, insufficient reductions in spending to align with projected decreases in funding, and staff transitions in key leadership roles, the district planned to end the 2023–24 school year in the red by $17.5 million.
Over the following two years, my office provided increasing levels of oversight of the district’s financial decision-making, including pulling together a team of state and regional experts to provide guidance and recommendations, centered on community values and student needs.
The financial oversight process defined in state law is designed to provide the local school district with as much autonomy as possible. Instead of the state taking complete control of the district like they do in other states, Washington’s process aims to retain local decision-making while providing the opportunity for expert-level state and regional guidance and oversight.
On Dec. 5, I notified Marysville Superintendent Dr. Deborah Rumbaugh that, because of the district’s efforts to return to financial solvency and stability, I was pleased to move the district from enhanced financial oversight — which is the last step before dissolving the district —and back to binding conditions, the lowest level of state financial oversight.
The district’s improved financial position is a direct result of clear, proactive financial leadership from current Superintendent Dr. Rumbaugh, former interim superintendent Dr. David Burgess, and former Special Administrator Dr. Arthur Jarvis; the hiring of talented professional staff in district leadership positions; and school employees who sacrificed resources and opportunities available in other communities because of their deep commitment to Marysville schools.
Soon, my office will provide the district with the financial conditions they must meet for the remainder of the school year. If the district stays on track and meets the conditions, they will be released from state financial oversight next November.
I am incredibly pleased that we can return even more autonomy back to the district. The Marysville community has worked hard to get here. District leaders have made difficult choices about spending, they have implemented financial controls that are sustainable, and families and community members have been engaged in the process.
The Marysville community should be proud. They buckled down and came together at a critical time, and the students, families, educators, and Marysville community at large will be better served as a result.
Chris Reykdal is serving in his third term as state Superintendent of Public Instruction, where he leads the state’s primary K–12 education agency. He also serves as president of the Council for Chief State School Officers, a national organization that supports state departments of education. He was born and raised in Snohomish County and has been closely involved in bringing innovative programs to schools across the state.
