COUPEVILLE: School District makes budget cuts (WNT)
Karina Andrew reports for the Whidbey News-Times from the Coupeville School District board meeting of Thu., April 27, 2023.
Coupeville School District administrative staff will not see cost of living adjustments to their salaries this coming school year as the district undergoes a round of significant budget cuts.
Some administrative staff will also voluntarily reduce the number of days they work, and two director positions will be cut and their responsibilities absorbed by other administrators as the district responds to the loss of pandemic-era federal funding.
Like many regional school districts, including Oak Harbor and South Whidbey school districts, Coupeville is facing budget reductions due in large part to the increased cost of goods, services and staffing, as well as the loss of CARES Act and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. Coupeville School District must reduce its budget by at least 5.5%, or approximately $1 million, according to the district website’s finance and budget page.
…District documents indicate that across all categories, the district has made around $928,000 of budget cuts to date for the coming school year.
They Said It
According to an email Superintendent Steve King sent to district families, administrative and non-represented staff, including directors, agreed to not take the state inflationary adjustments for the 2023-24 school year, which would have been a 3.7% increase in pay. This will save the district $77,000, King’s email stated.
King explained in an email that reductions in staffing include retirements or resignations that have already occurred or may occur in the future.
On the Ballot in November 2023
| COUPEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT (NO. 204) |
| Directors: Two of the five director positions are scheduled to be on the ballot. Position 1: Christine Sears. Note that candidates for Position 1 must live within Director District 1, which is comprised of the area west of Main St / Engle Rd. Ms. Sears did not file for re-election. Charles Merwine, husband of former director Glenda Merwine, and Leann Leavitt filed to run for this position on Fri., May 19, 2023. Position 4: Alison Perera. Position 4 is an “at large” position; candidates may live anywhere within the school district. Director Perera was appointed after the resignation of Glenda Merwine. This election will be for the remainder of Merwine’s term, which ends Dec. 31, 2023, and the succeeding four-year full term, which ends Dec. 31, 2027. Ms. Perera filed to retain her seat on Mon., May 15. David Ford filed to challenge her on Wed., May 15. |
