CAMANO: Budget Update – Let’s look at what’s next
The Stanwood-Camano School District posted this item in the news section of their website on Apr. 2, 2025.
In last week’s Budget Update, we detailed how school districts continue to grapple with financial challenges caused by state funding limitations, rising inflation, and the phase-out of some federal funds.
This week, let’s look at what’s next.
While we wait for the state Legislature to finalize the amount of money allocated to school districts, we are working on a Reduced Educational Program plan just in case reductions are needed to balance the budget.
The district has used this process the past two years to work with the School Board, our labor partners, and our community to help guide our budget planning process. We follow our District Promise and Strategic Plan to help guide decisions when making reductions and restoring programs.
Because staff make up the majority of the budget, reduced positions will still be needed to balance the budget. We anticipate resignations and retirements will account for many of the reductions in positions.
Based on current estimates from the Legislature, the district could be facing a $4.1 million deficit next school year. A combination of using $1.4 million from prior year General Fund balance and an estimated $2.7 million in reductions is needed to close the funding gap.
At this point, we anticipate reducing about 2.2% of our certificated staff costs, 2.2% of our classified and non-represented staff costs, 9.3% of our administrator costs, and 3.2% of our non-staff costs. Overall, that’s a reduction of about 2.8% of projected expenditures.
We are not alone.
Many school districts across the state have already publicly announced their projected budget reductions (see attached image). Some of these districts will draw from their General Fund to close portions of their budget gaps — similar to what we are planning. We anticipate more will be made public in the coming days and weeks.
As we have said before, the state Legislature may not significantly increase our funding, and a Reduced Educational Program plan is a tool to help the district work throughout the spring and summer to create a balanced budget for the 2025-26 school year. The budget is then finalized in August.
Meanwhile, we will continue to review costs during this school year to help minimize future reductions. Schools are working each day to:
- use fewer supplies and services
- reduce printing and mailing costs
- analyze all positions that become vacant and replace them only if necessary
Later this summer, the District will provide a formal 2025-26 Budget to the public and School Board, as state law requires. There will be a public hearing for anyone to provide comments.
Please see our detailed Budget page and familiarize yourself with our easy-to-use Citizens Guide to the Budget.
Next week, we will answer some of the common questions we receive from the public about the budget, including many mentioned in our recent Community Survey.
On the Ballot in 2025
| STANWOOD-CAMANO SCHOOL DISTRICT (NO. 401) |
| Directors. Two of the five director positions are scheduled to be on the ballot. Position 1: Albert Schreiber. Candidates for Position 1 must live in director district 1; see the map at this link. Position 2: Charlotte Murry. Candidates for Position 2 must live in director district 2; see the map at this link. |
