With costs outpacing revenues, Chimacum School District officials are planning for a year of spending in the red as they brace for more state and federal funding shortfalls.

“Although we are budgeting for a healthy 13% fund balance, we anticipate a year of deficit spending of about $330,000 in a $17.5 million budget,” according to an email June 2 by school officials.

“We are looking at instability in funding sources in the near future and planning ahead for what is needed,” said Roxanne Hudson, board chair of the school district.

Chimacum School District Superintendent Scott Mauk said even with the revenue shortfalls, the district would not lose any teachers, nor would there be layoffs, but there would be cutbacks through attrition and the elimination of jobs.  

“We are cutting several positions and combining some positions,” Mauk said. “We have quite a few retirements, leaves, and resignations.”

They intentionally waited for the final results of the legislative session “so we could begin crunching actual apportionment numbers for a more accurate budget,” he said. “We wanted to communicate that we are deficit spending (revenues outpaced by costs) but that we have a fund balance to continue this year. 

Mauk added they were “trying to tell folks the way things are as we go forward.”

Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the budget May 20, and through the biennial budget process, state legislators did not fully fund basic, statutorily required costs like special education, materials, supplies and operating costs, or transportation,” according to Mauk.

“They certainly haven’t fully funded positions like school nurses, school psychologists, or counselors,” he added. “Most of the challenges are due to continued underfunding not necessarily due to cuts.” 

Mauk noted that state leaders had eliminated funding for outdoor education, Career Connect Washington, and First Robotics, among other grant programs that Chimacum has been utilizing.

“The feds are likely to cut Title II and Title IV among other federal title programs,” Mauk continued. District officials are also anticipating Title I and special education funding to dry up in 2026.

Among the areas hardest hit, Mauk said, are special education, transportation, food services, and grounds and maintenance. 

Mauk said all school programs remain intact, yet some programs, such as Title I tutoring services, will see reductions to keep elementary class sizes low.

According to school district officials, Chimacum School District is in the same financial position as many districts across the state — declining enrollment, rising costs and state and federal funding that hasn’t kept pace with inflation. 

The email sent out talked about the importance of local levies. “We can keep our class sizes low and offer great programs because our levies subsidize basic education programs such as special education, and operational expenses such as grounds and insurance.