Cuts less unkind for Edmonds

The Edmonds School District this week revised downward the number of teacher positions it expects to cut in the 2007-08 school year from 50 to 25, and its projected deficit from $6 million to about $4.5 million.

The state budget, finalized by the Legislature over the weekend, provided increased funding for education, which makes the Edmonds shortfall less severe, but district officials say they still must make significant cuts in staffing to make up for declining enrollment and rising costs.

The decision to cut teachers and raise class sizes came only after several years of cost-cutting outside the classroom and using cash reserves to make up the difference between expenses and revenue, said Marla Miller, assistant superintendent for business and operations.

"We got there as a last resort," Miller said.

The teacher contract in Edmonds is up for renewal in August. The current three-year contract provided increases of 10 to 12 percent for teachers. Teacher salaries currently start at $36,500 and top out about $71,500 in the district.

Edmonds also must spend an additional $1.8 million to cover the costs of a state-funded cost-of-living-adjustment for all of its employees who are paid from local levy dollars and not the state.

The cuts in teachers mean class sizes will increase by one student across the district. But Edmonds still enjoys better teacher/student ratios than surrounding districts, according to state figures.

The district currently has an average of 50 teachers per 1,000 students across all grades, and 57 teachers per 1,000 students in kindergarten through fourth grade.

That compares to 47 teachers per 1,000 students across all grades in the Snohomish and Northshore school districts, and 48 teachers per 1,000 students in Everett and Mukilteo, according to the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Snohomish has the next highest K-4 staffing at 55 teachers per 1,000 students.

Still, the district's announcement last week that it would cut teachers and increase class sizes was met with concern by parents and students.

"It's the wrong direction for our children," said Alan Schmitz, whose children attend Lynnwood Elementary and Alderwood Middle School. Schmitz said he'd like the district to take a harder look at other options.

Dave Wood, a representative of the Washington Education Association in the Edmonds School District, said the fact Edmonds has better teacher/student ratios than surrounding districts isn't reassuring.

"It's not that we're good, it's that the others are worse," he said. Edmonds has made reducing class size a priority since the 1987 strike. Voter approval of technology and capitol levies the past few years also allowed the district to use those funds to purchase new equipment and use the general fund to add teachers. Wood said the current proposal is a step backward from that effort.

Some high-school students say some of their classes are already overcrowded.

"My classes are packed," said Tyson Winter, a senior at Edmonds-Woodway High School. "My teacher's resources are spread thin. It's hard to get the one-on-one attention that I sometimes need."

Officials in Edmonds, and in all districts planning to cut staff, said they should be able to make the reductions through attrition as employees retire or resign.

The rising costs of salaries, benefits, utilities and transportation are forcing many districts across the county to plan teacher cuts and other reductions in operating expenses.

• Stanwood-Camano anticipates cutting 13 teachers next year because of declining enrollment and rising costs, said Gary Platt, director of business and operations.

• Granite Falls anticipates losing eight teachers next year. The district already laid off some classified staff in January, said Mike Sullivan, director of business and operations.

• Lakewood will lose three teachers next year, two who were funded by expiring grants, said Superintendent Larry Francois.

• Lake Stevens will lose about five teachers and 10 classified staff positions, said district spokeswoman Arlene Hulten. The district cut about $600,000 from its budget last year.

• Snohomish will spend about $1.8 million of its reserves to balance its 2007-08 budget and avoid staff cuts, said Karen Riddle, director of business services. The district's reserves will drop from about $6 million to about $4 million. or 5 percent of its total budget, she said.

• Monroe has targeted about $1 million in cuts, most of them to come from reduced operating expenses and new fees for middle- and high-school students to play sports, said district spokeswoman Rosemary O'Neil. "We're trying to keep the cuts away from the classroom," she said.

• Marysville also must make about $1 million in cuts, said Finance Director Jim Baker. This follows $1 million reductions in each of the past two years. The district is trying to build up its reserves in anticipation of opening a new elementary school in fall 2008 and a new high school in fall 2009, Baker said.

• Everett cut $2.5 million from this year's budget and doesn't anticipate additional reductions in the coming year, said district spokeswoman Mary Waggoner.

• Darrington laid off two librarians and a counselor last year and anticipates losing another staff position this year, said Superintendent Larry Johnson.

• Mukilteo and Arlington don't plan any reductions for the coming year, officials in those districts said.

• In Sultan, which is awaiting the arrival of a new superintendent in July, officials say revenues are down and the district's teacher contract is up for renewal in August. "It's very speculative at this point, but we have concerns," said Finance Director Layne Anderson.

Lynn Thompson: 425-745-7807 or lthompson@seattletimes.com