As a result of the recent failure of Proposition 9, the replacement education and operations levy, the district will need to make up to $20 million in cuts for the upcoming school year. The cuts will impact all aspects of the district including:
Approximately 170 full-time staff positions may be cut, in addition to approximately 30 part-time positions. Many programs will be affected. Some staff may be able to move to different positions in BGPS. The district will work closely with its labor associations to meet contractual requirements regarding staffing changes.
How the potential cuts were chosen
The potential cuts were chosen with a focus on maintaining staff positions with a direct impact on student learning and those legally required to meet contractual, state or federal mandates. Because staff costs make up approximately 80% of the budget (85% is average for Washington state school districts), cutting positions is required to balance the budget. Positions not paid for by the state were considered as potential cuts. For example, the state pays for 1.9 security positions for the district as a whole. The remaining positions were funded through local levy dollars.
Next steps
The board of directors will review potential budget cuts at its April 28 meeting. These cuts are a worst-case scenario. The actual amount of cuts will depend on any increases in state funding, board decisions regarding use of the district’s fund balance (one-time money) and other factors.
Final decisions regarding cuts will be made later this spring. When recommendations are finalized, student safety and well-being will be the top priorities.
The cuts will take effect for the 2025-26 school year, and reduced or eliminated positions and programs would not begin to be restored until the 2026-27 school year at the earliest, depending on funding.
