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Vancouver School District warns of continuing budget shortfall and possible staff reductions
Summary
Superintendent Jeff Snell told the board the district expects a budget deficit for the coming year, citing rising costs and a multi-year special-education funding gap; the board will consider budget decisions over the summer ahead of an August public hearing and final adoption.
VANCOUVER, Wash. — Vancouver Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Snell told the school board on June 3 that the district expects a budget deficit for the coming year and faces long-running special-education funding shortfalls and rising nonstaff costs.
Snell said the district “anticipate[s] that we'll have a deficit again going into this year,” and noted a six‑year special-education gap he described as roughly $44 million. He said the district closed a previous gap in part by reducing about 250 positions last year and that the board will face difficult decisions about staffing when it adopts a budget in August after a July meeting and public hearing.
The superintendent laid out a timeline for the budget process and warned that the district’s savings, or “days cash on hand,” need to increase to meet state monitoring. He also flagged higher costs in utilities, insurance and special-education services as drivers of the pressure on the operating budget.
Nut graf: The board must reconcile new legislative funding, rising costs and uncertain federal grant support as it finalizes the 2025–26 budget; Snell and district staff urged community engagement and emphasized that further staffing reductions are a possible outcome absent a change in revenue.
In the boardroom, Snell described near-term steps to address fiscal risk: pausing some central-office hires; consolidating roles so interim superintendent Brett Blechschmidt will continue in a business role while taking on interim superintendent duties; and naming Janelle Ephraim to an associate superintendent role for teaching and learning. "We are not going through a reduction in force process like we did last year," Snell said, but added that without legislative changes and stable grant funding, "it's very likely that we'll be facing some reductions again."
Board members asked that the process remain transparent and noted the district will need continued dialogue with labor partners about priorities. Snell encouraged families and community members to review the district’s online budget materials and to engage before the July and August hearings.
Ending: The district will present additional budget details in upcoming meetings; the board is scheduled to consider the final 2025–26 budget after a public hearing in August.
