Marysville strike leads to shortfall

By J.J. Jensen
Times Snohomish County bureau

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MARYSVILLE — Hundreds of students fled the Marysville School District during the 49-day teachers strike, and that's going to cost the embattled district millions in state funding.

At a tense School Board meeting last night, district finance director Jim Baker spoke about how the flight of students will affect the district.

When the district adopted its $82.5 million 2003-04 budget Aug. 8, Baker said it had done so believing there would be 10,900 full-time-equivalent (FTE) students. As of yesterday, there were 10,540 such students. Because districts in large part are funded by the state based on student numbers, Marysville faces a $2 million deficit.

For every student enrolled in a district, the state contributes about $4,200. The $2 million shortfall is also due to grants the district received that have been recalculated because of the reduced student population.

Superintendent Linda Whitehead ordered Baker and the district's finance department to re-examine district finances and report back to the School Board on Nov. 18 with some suggestions.

Baker said the funding cuts are the equivalent of 20 teachers and six classified employees. Whitehead said no teachers would be laid off during the school year.

Of the students who left the district, Baker said 50 percent enrolled in surrounding districts, while the remaining students moved elsewhere with families or had not been accounted for.

Marysville teachers returned to work Oct. 22.

J.J. Jensen: 425-745-7809 or jjensen@seattletimes.com

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