Money From Timber Sales A Drop In The Bucket For School Budgets
Photo by Siegfried Poepperl from Pexels
Chris Reykdahl, Washington’s superintendent of public schools says he would like to see the state legislature commit to financing school construction, but not the traditional way.
Reykdahl doesn’t think the funding should come from timber harvest anymore. The K-12 Common School Trust has the most acreage of publicly managed state trust lands.
Yet the revenue K-12 schools receive through timber sales is fractional compared to what it once was. Here’s Reykdahl at January’s Board of Natural Resources’ meeting.
“I, as you well know, do not see the trade off, similarly, as I did 10 or 20 years ago. I would give all of this money away in the school system,” Reykdahl says. “The fractional share we’re getting right now is nothing anymore to schools.”
For the 2019-2021 biennium, the share of Common School Trust money for the capital spending fund was only 1.6%. Most of the money for school construction now comes from local bonds, according to Reykdahl.
“Surely we can get schools on a more solid footing than a declining revenue source,” Reykdahl says.
Reykdahl says if there isn’t enough movement on this issue, he’ll initiate legislative interests to make it happen.
Related Stories:
Two districts, the same dilemma: Not enough shelter spaces
For Jami Pitman, her child’s elementary school changed their lives.
Eight years ago, when she enrolled her child in Bellingham Public Schools, they were homeless. Pitman said she sought housing support from the Opportunity Council, an organization that provides a variety of wraparound services. Opportunity Council is part of the county’s coordinated entry system. The organization assists folks as housing that lines up with needs becomes available, officials at the Opportunity Council said.
Continue Reading Two districts, the same dilemma: Not enough shelter spaces
Tacoma schools seek housing resources as district with most homeless students
The Tacoma School District has the largest number of students experiencing homelessness in Washington. Month after month, more students and their families are counted as homeless in Tacoma, the third largest city in the state.
“We started the fall at 1,626, and as of the end of April, we’re at 2,382,” said Taj Jensen, director of Title, Learning Assistance Programs (LAP), and the McKinney-Vento foster care programs with the Tacoma School District. Continue Reading Tacoma schools seek housing resources as district with most homeless students
Olympia School District facing potential $11.5 million deficit, deciding on RIF process
The Olympia School District, like others across the state, is facing a budget deficit that could result in layoffs. The district is estimating a shortfall of up to $11.5 million for the 2023-24 school year.
Continue Reading Olympia School District facing potential $11.5 million deficit, deciding on RIF process
