One battle won; fight not yet over
While the final result of the Feb. 9 election has yet to be certified, it’s clear that the voters favored both school measures. Both needed a simple majority for passage, yet it’s looking like more than 60 percent of the voters supported the two ballot measures.
As a result, your Mukilteo School District can continue to fund many of the programs and activities that you’ve come to expect from us and we will be in a much better position to keep our buildings maintained and safe for students.
The money woes aren’t over, however. There are still some dark clouds on the horizon.
The Educational Maintenance and Operations Levy that the voters supported will provide about 20 percent of our operating budget for the next four years and, if money for special education and programs to help disadvantaged students stays the same as now, the federal government will contribute another 14 percent of the budget. The state government pays the rest, providing about two-thirds of our current revenue.
It’s the funding from the state that now has our attention.
A year ago, while facing a state budget shortfall that was estimated to be $9.3 billion, the legislature passed a state budget that cut spending in many areas of state government, including public education. The state budget for K-12 education included a dramatic reduction in a number of areas, such as spending for a program that state voters passed in 2000 to reduce class size and provide more training for teachers.
All together, it forced us to confront our own budget shortfall of about $6.2 million, which then led to the elimination of elementary support teacher positions, extended-day activities, a large portion of our professional development activities, seventh grade sports and many other programs.
Now the state legislature is in the final few weeks of its 2010 session and, because that state budget shortfall has now grown by an additional $2.8 billion, high on the agenda will be more cuts in state spending. What that will mean in funding for education and for the Mukilteo School District is yet to be known. Those debates will be taking place through the course of the next few weeks.
Despite what happens with the state budget, we can’t lose sight of our primary goal: to give our students the best education possible. We will continue to make sure that our teachers and other staff members are well equipped to do their job and that quality systems stay in place to provide students with a sound education.
With the passing of the two recent ballot measures, especially in the midst of this tough economy, we can confront the next set of challenges knowing that our community believes that the education of its children is vitally important and that we have earned your support for that mission. Thank you for having that trust in us.
As a result, your Mukilteo School District can continue to fund many of the programs and activities that you’ve come to expect from us and we will be in a much better position to keep our buildings maintained and safe for students.
The money woes aren’t over, however. There are still some dark clouds on the horizon.
The Educational Maintenance and Operations Levy that the voters supported will provide about 20 percent of our operating budget for the next four years and, if money for special education and programs to help disadvantaged students stays the same as now, the federal government will contribute another 14 percent of the budget. The state government pays the rest, providing about two-thirds of our current revenue.
It’s the funding from the state that now has our attention.
A year ago, while facing a state budget shortfall that was estimated to be $9.3 billion, the legislature passed a state budget that cut spending in many areas of state government, including public education. The state budget for K-12 education included a dramatic reduction in a number of areas, such as spending for a program that state voters passed in 2000 to reduce class size and provide more training for teachers.
All together, it forced us to confront our own budget shortfall of about $6.2 million, which then led to the elimination of elementary support teacher positions, extended-day activities, a large portion of our professional development activities, seventh grade sports and many other programs.
Now the state legislature is in the final few weeks of its 2010 session and, because that state budget shortfall has now grown by an additional $2.8 billion, high on the agenda will be more cuts in state spending. What that will mean in funding for education and for the Mukilteo School District is yet to be known. Those debates will be taking place through the course of the next few weeks.
Despite what happens with the state budget, we can’t lose sight of our primary goal: to give our students the best education possible. We will continue to make sure that our teachers and other staff members are well equipped to do their job and that quality systems stay in place to provide students with a sound education.
With the passing of the two recent ballot measures, especially in the midst of this tough economy, we can confront the next set of challenges knowing that our community believes that the education of its children is vitally important and that we have earned your support for that mission. Thank you for having that trust in us.
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