[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6282439,"mediaKeyId","2596240-a8fe6fd53822b268dc983f4354d02bda","parentId",2596240,"title","Students testify to vaping, fights and bathroom closures; safety services report shows rising incident reports","audioSeconds",1385,"startMs",3551000,"endMs",4936000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2596240-a8fe6fd53822b268dc983f4354d02bda&start=3551&end=4936","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2596240-a8fe6fd53822b268dc983f4354d02bda/thumbnail_3551000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6282439/Washington/Students-testify-to-vaping-fights-and-bathroom-closures-safety-services-report-shows-rising-incident-reports","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282439-832da5db6d351847b1b7dfab3e33959c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166214&Signature=IDwgnq3tmTosTuZh-Mnoelf9AG1Og-OFM3g7NXA9TOy4rASmMUi4tidOdORbfIn5-WUaFlKPFBQmADgiRPCDFroktBXlZGflhd12AwuStaIA6fodUajPaeq~CRW8F0DhmBQKXoQXyMH7Lnco8YmNyVax-S5-~FRiz-j22yBxysuot5sE5RGSV2MdvsK3ia2S~eANh17rxwF9a82DOsuvMDN0P-m6PyLxA44cwSY-K1RnvHPkuzIfNDXZHmoWYY7qVLP6KdT2fhFceBQpWEVvE2YxaDIepqA0TLmP9vUNCkWhYVCqgZRoDOSAvghXglpaR7g6A5DN3KOnBtdKgDQ2QQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kent School District, Washington","date","2025-03-13T05:11:46Z","article","Students from Kentwood High told the board on Wednesday that repeated vaping, drug use and violent incidents in school bathrooms are disrupting learning and creating safety concerns.

Three students who identified themselves as Kentwood students urged the board to increase consequences and to restore programs the students said would help. Zachary Govin and Guy Magno described repeated bathroom closures, alleged widespread vaping and damaged stall locks; student leader Silas Coffey said one assault that broke another student’s nose was not handled in a way that deterred repeat conduct and advocated for a drug‑rehab program to be offered on campus.

The board then heard a district safety services presentation from Assistant Director Tim Kovich and Director of Safety Services staff. Kovich described the safety team structure — 17 campus safety officers (primarily at secondary schools), three patrol officers, a security dispatcher and technology support — and an around‑the‑clock emergency operations center that monitors cameras, radio channels and mutual‑aid communications with local law enforcement.

Kovich presented incident‑report tallies compiled for state reporting that showed increases from 2021‑22 through the most recent reporting period in categories the district tracks: assaults, fights, drugs and alcohol, tobacco, weapons and property crimes. For example, reported fights rose from 91 (2021‑22) to 149 in the most recent period the district presented; assault reports and drug incidents also rose in the multi‑year series Kovich showed. He emphasized those numbers reflect incidents in which safety staff were involved and reported into the district’s system.

Kovich described school safety resources including camera and access control systems, patrol vehicles, a volunteer VIPs program and mobile response toolboxes with AEDs and mapping boards. He said state training requirements for safety staff now include trauma‑informed approaches, de‑escalation, bias‑free practices and restorative practices; he said the district has run similar training in‑house for years.

The board pressed for clarifications: directors asked whether assaults and fights are reported separately (Kovich said assaults are one‑way incidents while fights are mutual) and whether the district is tracking the impact of interventions. Trustees also asked about the connection between special‑education services and student needs in alternate programs such as iGrad; staff said special‑education eligibility and services are individually tied to a student’s IEP and that costs and revenues do not always balance.

Ending: Safety leaders said the district is continuing emergency‑preparedness work with principals, monitoring cameras and communications, and will pursue an outside Inclusive Education evaluation to inform use of contracted services and resource allocation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","KSD Regular Board Meeting - 03/12/25","oneSentenceSummary","Students at Kentwood High urged tougher discipline and a returning drug‑rehab partnership after repeated vaping, fights and bathroom vandalism. District safety services described campus officers, cameras, an operations center and a year‑to‑year rise in recorded incidents in several categories.","taxTitle","Kent School District, School Districts, Washington","taxId",14629,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6282444,"Kent schools audit finds MTSS at early‑installation stage; district plans pilot progress monitoring",898,6836000,7734000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2596240-a8fe6fd53822b268dc983f4354d02bda&start=6836&end=7734","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2596240-a8fe6fd53822b268dc983f4354d02bda/thumbnail_6836000.jpg","/articles/6282444/Washington/Kent-schools-audit-finds-MTSS-at-earlyinstallation-stage-district-plans-pilot-progress-monitoring","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282444-1bcde6bf6f0a8a26a440508e19679c25/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166214&Signature=oZauJX6MTZ5VRSNqrE3B00IVpnbKaObnMcj8ZLgCk~xh4-fi6NHP0qYbdmgm38jL~ycGNMjoOZKjolWen2-TRvGaHEK-VEoA35oK1h9mmSbBo3UqRex1o86poryAI569fFAuh5gFANz2xdmDidqDqjlk9cZsJHyQdmbeoKz8~4ugWulmRhS~ByJM6T~fOPhQpSybjCIG3GaBJTd05f~9GHS8GeSYEx9AvjDnu3r8I7JIeSOpbfjvY2Xv7pRCONVTMTpCskLGRSzeGpn89~u8zHRUyBldsFByWB3hOnCY4nc~TaVjEeBk2qw1A9yfvDBqaU0dmBdT77LFWSXUhxkEXQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kent School District staff told the board on Wednesday that districtwide work on multi‑tiered systems of support (MTSS) is moving from planning toward implementation but remains early in the process.

Deborah Willis, director of instructional integration, and Doctor Rebecca Kim, associate superintendent of teaching and learning, described a district audit using an MTSS rubric adapted from the Washington framework. Willis said the audit — conducted with administrators from multilingual and inclusive education and calibrated by district staff — placed the average school between early installation and initial implementation.

Willis explained the rubric covers five domains: team‑driven shared leadership; data‑based decision making; family/student/community engagement; continuum of supports; and evidence‑based practices. She told the board the district is focusing on practical supports: feedback reports for each school, a district MTSS expectations document, a multi‑stakeholder implementation team and comprehensive professional development.

The district will build an MTSS section within the cumulative student information system to pilot progress monitoring and expects a limited pilot next year. Willis and Kim said the pilot will be tested at scale only after district staff and pilot schools review usefulness and data workflows; they stressed the pilot is intended to reduce unnecessary special‑education referrals by providing earlier tiered supports.

Board members asked about measuring SEL pilot effectiveness and whether there will be control schools; Willis said the district is coordinating with research and evaluation staff to track outcomes and contrast pilot schools with others but acknowledged a full experimental control design does not yet exist.

Ending: The MTSS team said they will return with work‑session materials and a policy work session to give the board deeper review and a path for scaling MTSS implementation.","A district audit using the Washington MTSS rubric placed most Kent schools between early installation and initial implementation; leaders said they will create guidance documents, an implementation team, and a cumulative‑based progress monitoring pilot.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6282447,"Kent board votes 3‑2 to pay legal costs for two directors in recall sufficiency hearings",4381,6411000,10792000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2596240-a8fe6fd53822b268dc983f4354d02bda&start=6411&end=10792","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2596240-a8fe6fd53822b268dc983f4354d02bda/thumbnail_6411000.jpg","/articles/6282447/Washington/Kent-board-votes-32-to-pay-legal-costs-for-two-directors-in-recall-sufficiency-hearings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282447-4c20b31aefdde72c9f8d3c2524211b77/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166214&Signature=FruDA4MXbktoHq1wMJeaTZrUfmBsYCO0MEUY7K9jNaqQqOp2yiOLR04R-O3TA4S8x46oAqyGeX8zz1Rr5-X4DpEnMJLaRXPr0s3RG7D7P9Dwm6XQBeUcTGHOhNkS0So6283TLcX8YHlBJ0iewXYGfHNKCDvFuW2LwCX51QKIXq8xrf~QPtdzgyB3m9-57qqtvGSX~vbMk2Wq0pDpozIITdmDZg7Fp4VjJx~yjjKd7W~eZ49JBt0NHQPb~PG36a7BayfnVx2DBem3uloX9rcuRQPDS~KN~KsmipvEqfVKYJLHghbZfgE7mYMkpz2JgqCIp-DPTLNGtixRDR1lfTbZEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kent School District Board voted Wednesday to authorize payment of legal expenses for two directors defending against recall petitions at the sufficiency‑hearing stage.

After extended public comment and legal briefing, the board approved two separate resolutions: one authorizing payment of necessary legal expenses for Director Tim Clark and another for Director Megan Margell. Both motions passed on 3‑2 roll calls.

The statute cited by the board’s counsel — RCW 4.96.041 — permits a local government to pay the necessary expenses of defending an officer or employee in judicial proceedings if the legislative authority finds the acts were taken in good faith and within the scope of official duties. The board’s counsel said his review of the petitions’ allegations determined they fall within the scope of board duties and recommended indemnification for the sufficiency phase.

Board votes and procedure: the two resolutions narrowly passed after debate over whether public funds should be used when recall petitions allege violations of open‑meetings or other laws. Director Gregory and Director Clark voted with President Margell to approve each authorization; Director Song and Vice President Cook voted no. Counsel advised the board the resolutions cover the sufficiency hearing and related appeals, but not subsequent proceedings if the petition is certified and goes to a recall election.

Public comment: petitioners and other community members urged trustees to deny use of public funds, arguing the petitions allege bad‑faith conduct and that taxpayers should not pay for directors’ defense. Supporters of indemnification argued elected officials need indemnity to carry out duties without fear of being bankrupted by political actions.

Outcome: the board will pay legal costs for representation at the sufficiency hearings and related appeals; if the court finds the petitions sufficient and the matter proceeds, the board indicated the indemnification authority does not automatically extend beyond the sufficiency stage and further payments would require separate board action.","The board approved two separate resolutions to pay legal expenses for directors facing recall sufficiency proceedings; each vote passed 3‑2 after public comment and lawyer advice about indemnification under state law.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6282449,"Kent School District projects multi‑year deficits, flags special‑education shortfall",1143,142000,1285000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2596240-a8fe6fd53822b268dc983f4354d02bda&start=142&end=1285","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2596240-a8fe6fd53822b268dc983f4354d02bda/thumbnail_142000.jpg","/articles/6282449/Washington/Kent-School-District-projects-multiyear-deficits-flags-specialeducation-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282449-b40c3536fd134c8ea8a73632072ac9af/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166214&Signature=fVFxX61ymA7QmVmx43-bePP51-Qigav3CIA8JEK8g3sX9rk3DzU6C-Xu6w1LC3wMrXieVL2e0YpH-jrT2AUAPqz3JSSnCePsEJ-ORg1kbU3pPTS417KS3lDOp3mX4hJRLH-id4jDFyQ8-e-lZ0ugK5g5oRZ95MVPxYKm73UCNvk8Lq7EVD3TlCKeRLEIZFJaGHCYpMXrF0D-FVCsgGvQH6Cjwc2-MEdYkfqebYyAQf8~A8j6voGZdPqMDGsNtxnd1GBR0~8~n5i9xi0hh43sfV2fuYUxBFhL90bZrtApzVGiv2Tp52KvgcJRea30BwFc7VjgGs1XWGynM3axFkF4Wg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kent School District’s finance team told the board on Wednesday that the district faces a growing structural deficit driven by flat enrollment, rising staff costs and the end of federal ESSER funding.

Raul Parenko, the district’s executive director of finance, presented a forecast showing a $6.7 million gap for 2025‑26 that expands in subsequent years if no changes are made. “Our enrollment has declined by about 8.7% or about 2,308 students over the last 10 years,” Parenko said, and he emphasized enrollment drives the largest share of state funding.

Why it matters: state general‑purpose dollars are roughly 55% of the district’s general fund revenue and are enrollment‑driven, Parenko said. That leaves Kent exposed when enrollment lags or when categorical and federal funds fluctuate. The district closed 2023‑24 with a larger unassigned ending fund balance than anticipated because of levy results, but staff warned reserves fall below the board’s 5% policy in the multi‑year forecast unless the district adopts balancing actions.

The budget presentation laid out revenue and spending details for the current year (2024‑25): about $528 million in general‑fund revenue and $538 million in expenditures, with salaries and benefits making up about 81% of spending. Parenko told the board that special education currently shows a roughly $24 million budget deficit and multilingual education about $7 million; those program shortfalls are a major driver of the forecasted structural gap.

Board members asked staff about levers to address the shortfall. Parenko outlined a three‑step strategy presented previously: pursue efficiency savings, seek revenue increases, and use expenditure reductions as a last resort. He said staff have modeling tools to test class‑size changes and staffing scenarios when the board asked about potential class‑size reductions.

The board discussed whether to raise the district’s minimum unassigned fund balance above its current 5% policy. Parenko said a 5% reserve covers roughly two and a half weeks of operating costs and cited auditor guidance that 10% (about $52 million in Kent’s case) would cover about a month and provide a stronger cushion for unexpected costs. Board members heard the auditor’s recommendation but acknowledged raising reserves would require tradeoffs.

Next steps: staff will return with updated numbers after the close of the state legislative session (the last day of session was listed as April 27) and provide a budget update May 14. The board will hold a June 11 work session and regular meeting with a public hearing before formal budget adoption planned June 25.

Ending: Finance staff urged the board to view the presentation as the beginning of a multi‑meeting discussion and asked trustees to weigh priorities before the district’s June adoption timeline.","District finance staff told the school board a flat post‑pandemic enrollment and rising staffing costs leave a projected $6.7 million deficit for 2025‑26 that grows in later years, driven largely by special education and unsustained federal grants.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Students testify to vaping, fights and bathroom closures; safety services report shows rising incident reports

Kent schools audit finds MTSS at early‑installation stage; district plans pilot progress monitoring

Kent board votes 3‑2 to pay legal costs for two directors in recall sufficiency hearings

Kent School District projects multi‑year deficits, flags special‑education shortfall