Seattle Public Schools Budget Update

May 6, 2019May 28, 2019 eBark News

The Legislative session in Olympia ended on Sunday, April 28. Due to the Legislature’s actions, beginning in 2020, Seattle will be able to collect $3,000 per student from local, voter-approved funds. This will restore 12.2 million dollars directly to classrooms in the 2019-20 school year, with an estimated total increase in revenue of 16 million dollars and 28 million additional dollars to the district beginning with the 2020-21 school year. We want to thank the Seattle Legislative Delegation for their leadership on restoring this much needed local levy authority.

This restored revenue, along with increased flexibility to use capital funds for maintenance costs, will help us address some of the 40-million-dollar budget shortfall for school year 2019-20 and support restoration of the most critical supports for our students – our school-based staff.

Next year’s school-based cuts including librarians, counselors, and assistant principals, made due to the 2019-20 budget shortfall, will be restored. Other budget reductions, including those to central office, will move forward.