School district finalizes budget

Washington state may see more than $200,000 million in aid from federal education jobs funding signed into law by President Barack Obama earlier this month.

However, the Stanwood-Camano School District is not waiting with its hand out.

Gary Platt, executive director of business services, indicated to the board of directors last Tuesday that any potential federal funding will likely be used to avoid additional cuts to the state’s education budget, rather than reinstate up to 3,300 positions that have already been eliminated from schools across the state.

Governor Chris Gregoire has proposed across-the-board cuts for the last six months of the current biennium equal to $500 million, said Platt.

The recent federal dollars, then, may simply plug one hole in a leaky bucket.

“Are we going to see any benefit at all?” asked director Ken Christoferson.

Superintendent Jean Shumate, Ed.D., said it was “unlikely.”

Regardless of the disappointing last minute news, the board of directors unanimously approved the upcoming school year’s budget following a review by Platt.

The goal, said Platt, is to maximize current revenue sources, look for new revenue streams and save money while funding a program the district promised to deliver.

“The capacity to deal with changes is built in,” he said.

The bulk of the district’s expenditures fall in the general fund, approximately 82 percent.

More than 80 percent of the general fund pays for employees’ salaries, payroll taxes and benefits.

Sources of revenue come from state (65.5 percent) and federal (10.3 percent), local levies (21.4 percent) and fees (2.8 percent).

For the 2010-11 school year, general fund expenditures exceed revenues by more than $709,000. That amount will be supplemented by the fund balance, which is anticipated to be around $4.4 million (9.5 percent of the operating costs) at the start of the school year.

Board policy requires the district to maintain at least 5 percent of its operating budget as a general fund balance to pay for unexpected costs because revenues and expenditures are not equally received and distributed on a monthly basis, said Platt.

A complete community budget handbook can be downloaded at www.stanwood. wednet.edu and is available at the district office, 26920 Pioneer Highway.

Staff Reporter Adam Stewart: 629-8066 ext. 115 or astewart@scnews.com.