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Othello district officials warn federal rescission could strip $1.1 million from migrant and multilingual programs
Summary
At a board meeting, district staff said a proposed federal rescission and administrative actions put previously appropriated migrant and bilingual grant dollars at risk, creating immediate uncertainty for programs and staff funded by those grants.
Othello School District officials warned at a board meeting that federal action to rescind appropriations could withhold about $1.1 million in grants the district expected this summer, threatening staff and programs that serve migrant and multilingual students. The district’s finance staff and board members said the potential rescission is unfolding as the district prepares its July 10 budget and that some funds must be spent before they can be claimed through federal reporting systems.
The possible loss matters because those grants underwrite staff and summer programming that benefit the whole system, officials said. Director Gerber told the board the map shared with trustees showed proposed cuts concentrated in districts with larger migrant and bilingual student populations: “Because we have more of those students, we are more affected,” Gerber said. The district’s finance staff said the federal funds in question total about $2.8 million in the 2025–26 draft budget, of which roughly $1.1 million was highlighted on the state map as immediately at risk.
Board members and finance staff described how the affected grants work and why the timing is critical. Dr. Meek (finance staff) and Amy Suarez (finance staff) explained that some grant dollars are carried over year to year and that the district typically spends first and then claims reimbursement. “To claim it, it would have to be spent already so that we claim on the tail end of it,” Amy Suarez said, describing the district’s plan to review expenditures now to identify allowable charges that could be reclassified and claimed. Trustees were told EGMS (the federal grant management system) is open now and might close quickly, a circumstance Superintendent Chris Reykdal warned about on a statewide webinar the staff attended.
District staff identified the largest single grant at immediate risk as the federal migrant allocation. “The migrant grant … is $1,000,000,” finance staff said, and the district said much of that money pays staff positions such as parent coordinators, home liaisons and migrant program staff and funds migrant summer school. Title III (multilingual) and Title II (teacher professional development and mentoring) also were named as significant federal sources that would reduce services if cut. Staff emphasized that many of these grants carry strict allowable-use rules and cannot be used to supplant existing obligations.
Officials outlined the near-term steps the district will take: staff said they would meet immediately after the board session to review expenditures and determine which costs can be documented now so the district can submit claims before any closure of federal claiming portals. Director Gerber and finance staff also said statewide advocacy groups — including regional ESD partners, WASA and WASDA — are organizing letters and calls to Congress asking that appropriated funds not be rescinded, and that, if the federal administration announces rescissions, Congress typically has 45 days to respond.
Board members pressed for timelines and contingency plans. One trustee summarized the budget impact presented by finance staff: the district’s preliminary 2025–26 revenue projection includes $84.5 million in total revenue and $2.8 million in federal grants currently flagged as at risk; the district’s 2025–26 budget is otherwise due July 10. Trustees also asked whether the district would use fund balance, reopen union contracts through legislative-impact clauses, or make program cuts if the funds do not arrive. Staff said those conversations would follow if claims are unsuccessful and that spending reductions or use of reserves would be among options to consider.
The board did not vote on any formal action tying the district to a particular contingency in the meeting. Staff repeatedly emphasized that the legal and administrative sequence is outside the district’s control and depends on federal administrative action, possible Supreme Court decisions and congressional response. The district will report back to the board after staff completes its immediate claims-review work and as advocacy efforts with state and regional education organizations develop.
