MLSD funding reduction should not result in layoffs

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District shouldn’t have to lay off any staff as a result of changes in the funding Moses Lake receives from the state, at least not for the 2023-24 school year.

“Back in 2017-18 we were getting 6% regionalization (funding) added to our apportionment. That’s been decreasing by 1% a year the last few years,” said Director of Finance Stefanie Lowry during the Moses Lake School Board meeting Thursday. “It was supposed to completely go away next year.”

It won’t, but it will be cut in half for the 2023-24 school year, and end completely the following school year.

Moses Lake got about 3% in increased funding through regionalization funding in 2022-23, Lowry said.

“That 3% that we’re currently getting equals about $3.6 million, so we’ll see a $1.8 million reduction in our apportionment funding next year,” Lowry said.

Regionalization funding is used by the Superintendent of Public Instruction office to help determine staffing levels and assist staff in districts with a higher cost of living, according to the OSPI website. It’s based in part on home values in a district.

“I know we haven’t started budgets yet for next year,” said Board Chair Kevin Fuhr, “but that $1.8 million that we’re going to lose. Where do we anticipate where that’s going to come from?”

Lowry said district officials had anticipated a 3% decrease, and had been planning for it. For 2023-24 the district will use some of the money it received during the COVID-19 pandemic to cover the shortfall.

“We should be okay for the next year or two,” Lowry said.

What might happen after that is uncertain, she said. Some districts statewide are being forced to lay off staff, she said, but MLSD officials tried to use the pandemic money to bridge some of the funding gaps.

“I appreciate the conservative budgeting because I don’t want to be in a situation where we’re laying people off,” Fuhr said.

Lowry said the MLSD benefits from the fact the community is growing, and school enrollment is growing with it.

Public instruction officials have announced school employees statewide will receive a 3.7% salary increase due to inflation, she said.

“That anticipated increase, based on last year’s budgeted wages and benefits, would be a little bit over $4 million,” Lowry said.

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com. Cheryl is a staff writer with the paper and has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for 11 years.