158 Issaquah teachers may get to keep jobs after all

The Issaquah School District now says it will be able to recall many, if not all, of the 158 teachers that received layoff notices last month.

The district originally projected a worst-case scenario of $10.5 million in budget cuts. But the latest state figures now show the district will lose a little less — about $7.3 million in state funding.

"It's looking significantly better than our worst-case scenario," said spokeswoman Sara Niegowski, who said most of the teachers will get their jobs back.

The district will lose 40 to 45 positions through attrition, and class size will go up by about one student per classroom next year, Niegowski said.

Also being cut: secretary and custodial hours and teacher training. The special, late-afternoon bus routes for students who do after-school activities will probably become more consolidated, as well, she said.

Issaquah is also projecting a modest increase in new student enrollment of about 60 students, which will mean a half-million dollar increase in state funding, she said.