[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"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","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,75,87],{"_32":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":73},"mediaId",6227525,"mediaKeyId","3490600-494191a677840978163e25b31e28bc67","parentId",3490600,"title","Board approves pay‑to‑participate athletics fees with exemptions for low‑income families","audioSeconds",287,"startMs",9199000,"endMs",9486000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3490600-494191a677840978163e25b31e28bc67&start=9199&end=9486","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3490600-494191a677840978163e25b31e28bc67/thumbnail_9199000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6227525/Washington/Board-approves-paytoparticipate-athletics-fees-with-exemptions-for-lowincome-families","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227525-2809f00b2e8b8c1d89326d6acc7184d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1769905808&Signature=eOp9yy5V1ax7seem6y~LmqAv0J4O2vaBct2WZ54QFHnvmSbURsKuJKSOxFoyIAeAt-ZLRyGBKK1RjwqmymkUXbJtoBdj7bGyxdSLYcxZ9qLvzJy0N38vEC4jpiMgOWYp4LbwrT13W1O0CAjxsqdGIv9g-K5uPMUMXfOclkuIo5Ys1cAHAM0shLqD5H5AU7VvPqLuBUFltrgCO-W0WV-BxyrXEmp-Emo~aWMbujKhrQhojyg6dIaOXqC-g8--OvgckktmCO0QYLG4wVmQlc76wSJ6H8oGC1-D3jgEo5Ae47f2FLEecsfFlxDr6S4VtrhqV2We8X99hlldMpKNm6Ma6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tacoma School District, WA","date","2025-05-24T08:42:37.07Z","article","The Tacoma Public Schools board approved a pay‑to‑participate fee structure for athletics beginning in the 2025‑26 school year, with exemptions for students who qualify for free and reduced‑price meals and a family cap intended to limit burdens on multi‑student households.

Superintendent Josh Garcia presented the item and said the district currently spends about $5 million in local levy dollars to subsidize athletics and needs new revenue to maintain programs. The board approved the fee ordinance after discussion about waivers, distribution of revenue and assurances that no student would be denied participation for inability to pay.

District officials said the fee is designed to be comparable to neighboring districts and includes a maximum annual family cap; families that qualify for free and reduced meals would be exempt from the fee. The administration noted it will centrally administer coach stipends and uniform costs, and it plans additional sponsorship outreach to offset costs. Officials said schools would not directly retain the fees as separate ASB funds; the revenue would be used centrally for athletics operations.

\"No student will be denied participation,\" the superintendent said, noting that administrators will work with families who cannot afford fees.

Discussion vs. decision: The board voted to approve the pay‑to‑participate structure (agenda item 14.1). The motion passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition during the meeting. The administration will return with communication plans for families and the mechanics for fee collections and exemptions.

Ending: The fees take effect in the 2025‑26 school year; the district will run an outreach campaign and accept family requests for fee waivers tied to free and reduced‑price meal eligibility.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 22, 2025 TPS Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Tacoma Public Schools board approved a districtwide athletics participation fee for 2025‑26 with exemptions for families who qualify for free and reduced‑price meals and a family cap; district leaders said no student will be denied participation for inability to pay.","taxTitle","Tacoma School District, School Districts, Washington","taxId",14628,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":76,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":77,"_40":78,"_42":79,"_44":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6227530,"Head Start director: Tacoma program at full enrollment, seeks to expand outreach and family supports",476,2476000,2952000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3490600-494191a677840978163e25b31e28bc67&start=2476&end=2952","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3490600-494191a677840978163e25b31e28bc67/thumbnail_2476000.jpg","/articles/6227530/Washington/Head-Start-director-Tacoma-program-at-full-enrollment-seeks-to-expand-outreach-and-family-supports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227530-e725a9b433a8f2e8d28f2be87daab40a/orig.mp4?Expires=1769905808&Signature=OcAvsIP9noQd6hFzM7VyXGOlwvqW98fFzcYaxReIDENbQJL-HahuJEC67Ypa1K8v3JRK0YkqcmFk0LBfay42zvr182g4agn8DQHoYf4K3GeZDR7ZvG~1z4C5-VJANdPDvLWrsWuct8AvYl9eXx1N5A8Tl0JIRlQ~wzIbAdxoxisBy4OcdiIvE8C8SAKi7Nrgdp~MniG-hcyqHBxUozytFrsSdaKFepFmJzbdNNItCNnyDQ8lo57iGZM~NegHn9xuOyy2Uex5oYfHE5rKnNSkq-P-O0c2Vo9yleNB0jZ0qD5ZJxkiVWnxNm-jgR1cfDZo~5IB8s8Qr9GmkvF1kff4wg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Michelle Raul Lewis, Tacoma Public Schools Head Start director, told the board the district's Head Start program is fully enrolled this year and has several improvements to report.

\"It is Head Start's 60th birthday this month and Tacoma Public Schools has offered Head Start for 56 of those 60 years,\" Raul Lewis said. She reported that the program has full enrollment with a wait list, an average attendance rate above the national average (85.6 percent), and program assessment gains: a 37 percent improvement on Teaching Strategies GOLD measures from fall to spring, meeting five of six kindergarten‑readiness indicators so far.

Why it matters: Raul Lewis said a community assessment, conducted with the Athena Group, found Tacoma city limits and Pierce County Head Start programs are serving only about 4 percent of eligible children — a data point the district called a prompt to expand outreach and reduce barriers to entry. The program also completed a federal/state audit with no findings and submitted its continuation grant the day of the meeting.

Raul Lewis described next steps that include boosting family mental‑health supports via a partnership with Greater Lakes, broadening transportation to align with K‑5 routes next year (so Head Start families qualifying under K‑5 transit rules can receive transportation), and developing individualized professional development for teaching staff after program assessments showed room for improvement in classroom practices.

A classroom teacher and former Head Start parent, Yvette Jimenez of Blix Elementary, testified to the program's family impact: she credited Head Start with changing her life and helping her complete college and become a preschool teacher; she said Head Start \"didn't just prepare kids for kindergarten. It lays the groundwork.\" The board acknowledged the program's achievements and noted the vulnerability of federal and state funding; members asked staff to continue aggressive outreach so families know spots are available.

Discussion vs. decision: This agenda item was a staff report; the board did not take formal action during the presentation. The administration stated it submitted the continuation grant and will return with implementation details for transportation alignment and expanded family mental‑health services.

Ending: Raul Lewis asked the community to spread the word that Head Start has openings and to contact district offices about eligibility; she and board members emphasized applying for free and reduced lunch eligibility where appropriate to simplify program enrollment and fee exemptions.","District Head Start staff reported full enrollment, improved classroom assessments and a submitted continuation grant; presenters flagged that Head Start currently serves about 4% of eligible children in Tacoma/Pierce County and outlined plans to broaden mental‑health and transportation supports.",{"_32":88,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":89,"_40":90,"_42":91,"_44":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6227535,"Tacoma Public Schools warns of multi‑million dollar shortfall, announces widespread staff displacements",2151,3693000,5844000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3490600-494191a677840978163e25b31e28bc67&start=3693&end=5844","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3490600-494191a677840978163e25b31e28bc67/thumbnail_3693000.jpg","/articles/6227535/Washington/Tacoma-Public-Schools-warns-of-multimillion-dollar-shortfall-announces-widespread-staff-displacements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227535-e9bc43be9da854e378d322feb3e44c5e/orig.mp4?Expires=1769905808&Signature=T8m6WdLmkxAySRWkE-MbTbqIht46kZBSmpjw1PPI9zS5nIUCI3dGttpeahgUKKNU0yFL1qD3IUZXyEJ7J54govbHXbQhvuL-mS8TqGbzBvMa7k7Iiue5s40dpjIVC2CFfDl385BPmuE~V4bdp3ewHrT83ErnGeK-88Dk0OnPcUFcVjbkps45aUFbgRh5zeG3m-WRJNNzfucV7Qso3eNVUkFc8XtX6PWcx7A5ieldDWntJ~QC8m8jaa7xr4btC6o8p1HPy8GE-0fx30svE~sHGQHGnP8pKAXsJF7OETRpcWdwBHxKk0xY0eeO0oIAv88JLaiosREPcC3-R5GPEaIxHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rosalind Medina, Tacoma Public Schools chief financial officer, told the district's Board of Directors that the district faces a budget gap and low reserves that could force deeper cuts if revenues do not improve.

\"School district funding is very complicated, unfortunately,\" Medina said during the board meeting, describing the general fund, revenue sources and the district's current cash position. Medina said the district's general fund this year is roughly $578,000,000 and that 73% of revenue comes from the state. She said the district is projecting a $3.5 million shortfall if current trends hold.

The shortfall comes after multi‑year erosion of reserves and the end of federal stabilization dollars, Medina said. The district's fund balance was about $11 million at the start of the year; Medina said the administration's goal remains to rebuild reserves but the current forecast would prevent that. \"If we do end the year today with everything that we know or think at this moment in time we would actually be 3 and a half million dollars in the hole,\" she said.

Why it matters: The shortfall has already prompted personnel actions that affect classroom and student services. Medina listed personnel impacts the district has implemented or is processing this spring: 105 provisional employees non‑renewed, 59 certificated staff displaced, 118 educational support professionals displaced and additional office professional and administrative reductions. The district also reported losing recent federal grants — a playground grant of about $1 million and a remaining $2.6 million from a multiyear mental‑health grant — and warned of other potential federal reductions.

Most of the district's spending is salaries and benefits, Medina noted, and she described limited flexibility: many state and federal funding streams are restricted for particular programs. Medina said certain state actions — including the implicit price deflator and steps required by the McCleary court process — shape how much the district receives and how those funds may be used.

Superintendent Josh Garcia and board members emphasized efforts to limit classroom disruption. Garcia told the room the administration is prioritizing reassignments where possible and working through collective bargaining obligations; he asked the community to avoid targeting individual staff online and said the district will follow applicable collective bargaining agreements. \"There have been no excessive raises for teachers or other staff. They have earned it,\" Garcia said, adding that the district will continue weekly updates about placements and vacancies.

Public comment at the meeting was extensive and often emotional. Paraeducator and union leader Carrie Madden urged the board to \"find a way to cut more from the top, not the bottom,\" and an enrollment secretary, Alicia Blakefield, described the local effect of losing paraprofessional colleagues who earn roughly $26 an hour and who provide daily support in schools. Students and teachers also described program losses — including language and ethnic studies instructors — that they say reduce options and continuity for learners.

Discussion vs. decisions: The board heard the financial update and approved several routine and programmatic items on the agenda (consent agenda; other business items). The meeting did not include a formal vote to adopt a final operating budget for the coming year. Medina listed next steps: continue to finalize vacancies and reassignments, review new state legislation for funding implications, pursue internal cost‑saving measures already enacted (procurement and purchase‑card freezes, purchase‑order review) and return to the board with a recommended budget and public hearings. Medina said final year‑end figures will be available late October/early November when the district's books close.

Ending: Medina warned that if the district ends the fiscal year insolvent, OSPI (the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) can impose a financial oversight committee and binding conditions. She and Garcia asked the public for patience while they pursue reassignment and revenue options and reiterated that the district will provide weekly updates to affected staff as placements are found.","CFO Rosalind Medina told the Board of Directors the district faces a projected shortfall and dwindling reserves, prompting hundreds of non‑renewals and displacements across certificated and support staff; the board discussed steps to limit further losses while community members urged different cuts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves pay‑to‑participate athletics fees with exemptions for low‑income families

Head Start director: Tacoma program at full enrollment, seeks to expand outreach and family supports

Tacoma Public Schools warns of multi‑million dollar shortfall, announces widespread staff displacements