PORT ANGELES — In light of a trend of declining funding, the Port Angeles School District needs to develop a strategic plan, Superintendent Jane Pryne said Tuesday.
Speaking to about 35 people at the Port Angeles Business Association breakfast meeting, Pryne detailed the state of the district and plans for the coming year.
District administrators are preparing to create a five-year plan to present to the board.
“We will look at where we will be the next year and in two years and in five years,” she said.
“This way we are approaching the budget strategically.”
The School Board recently cut about $1.9 million from the 2010-2011 budget.
In 2009, it slashed about $2.56 million from the 2009-2010 budget.
In 2008, it sliced $1.37 million from the 2008-2009 budget.
At one time, budget cuts were largely because of declining enrollment, which means that a district recieves less money from the state.
Lately, the state Legislature has been making cuts, also.
Declining enrollment
The district’s enrollment has declined by 1,266 full- time students in the last two decades.
“We’ve looked into this and it is as a result of several issues,” Pryne said.
“The primary reason is because the birth rate is lower than the death rate, so more people are dying than are being born.
“Also family wage jobs and affordable housing — these are all known issues for our area.”
Declining enrollment has resulted in the closure of Monroe Elementary School, closure of Roosevelt Middle School and mothballing Fairview Elementary School and moving the students into Roosevelt’s building.
Because districts are paid by the state based on enrollment, funds from the state — which provide about 63 percent of the district’s budget — also decreased its apportionment funds, she said.
The district had long decided to make cuts proportional to where declines were happening.
“The board had decided to make cuts in the areas we were predicting declines,” Pryne said.
More cuts
Then the state Legislature began cutting funds as well.
“It really was the perfect storm for us,” she said.
“After awhile you look at the list and there is nowhere more to cut.”
A local tax levy provides about 23 percent of the budget and federal funding provides about 14 percent.
Local levy
The local maintenance and operations levy expires next year. District personnel expect to place a levy measure before voters in February 2011, Pryne said.
“We are so appreciative of the local support,” she said.
“Without that money — well, I just don’t know what we would do. I don’t think we could do it.”
Although state cuts and birth rates are things that can’t be controlled, Pryne said the district is striving to make sure to keep kids in school.
About 43 students more than were anticipated at the beginning of the year now are expected to be retained at the high school level, Pryne said.
“We have been working really hard to make sure that students know the importance of graduating,” she said.
“This isn’t just a school issue — it is a community issue.”
One successful initiative at the high school has been Saturday school.
Saturday school
Teachers are available for Saturday classes for students who need to recover credits either to make up for a class they failed or one that they neglected to take.
“Sometimes Saturday school is required and sometimes it is voluntary, but it has been very successful,” she said.
Pryne said she has visited nearly every classroom since she started last July.
In her visits she has noticed the impact of another initiative she started.
“We tell the kindergarten teachers that graduation starts with them — not with the ninth-grade teachers,” she said.
“One small thing we can do is instill a pride in them for when they are graduating. If you walk into any class the kids can tell you that they are the class of 2022 or 2015.
“Next year’s kindergartners are the class of 2023.”
Race to the Top
On Monday, the School Board voted to participate in the Race to the Top program if Washington is selected as one of the states in phase two of the federal awards.
At the Tuesday breakfast, Pryne said that the district decided to make a bid for it early.
“We thought we would throw our hat in the ring for now,” she said.
“We don’t have all the details ironed out yet, but if it is too onerous or we don’t meet the state requirements we can look at that later.”
Districts which choose to participate in the federal initiative must have standards and assessments set up within the district beyond state testing measures, data-assisted evaluation of schools and recruitment of effective teachers and leaders.
Pryne said the only part of the requirements that needs work is a way to quantify how the district attracts effective teachers and leaders.
The district would apply for about $135,000 per year and ultimately about $500,000 under the program.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.
