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Superintendent says state funding increases do not keep pace with inflation; district preparing budget and property sale process
Summary
Prosser superintendent reported recent state funding increases are largely absorbed by inflation and rising costs, outlined upcoming budget work and described the process and timing for selling several district properties; staff also noted special-education multiplier increases and lack of transportation funding increases.
Superintendent Kim (identified in the meeting) told the Prosser School District board that although the state added funds to education in the recent legislative session, the increases largely do not keep pace with inflation and the district must plan accordingly as it completes its budget.
“You will hear legislative discussion that they've added so much money to us. Well, when you when it comes right down to it, if you consider whichever inflationary item you would like to use ... that inflation plus what they gave us really doesn't even play for the inflation,” Kim said, summarizing the state funding picture and noting a net statewide per‑pupil increase that she described as small when divided across students.
Kim told the board the district’s budget must be approved by Aug. 31 and that staff will need to run additional study sessions in July or early August once final numbers are available. She said the district has seen increases in special-education multipliers and a modest MSOC (maintenance, supplies, operations and costs) increase of $35.27 per student plus $4.69 for high-school students, but that those amounts do not cover cost increases such as insurance. She also said there was no increase in state transportation funding and cautioned that accounting for MSOC categories has been consolidated, limiting the district’s ability to separate out maintenance and operations subcategories.
Kim provided an update on district property sales, saying multiple showings have taken place for a Grant Avenue property and that offers have been received on a White Church site. She emphasized that the sale process must follow public‑entity procedures; the district will correct a prior public hearing to include all three parcels in the published legal descriptions and will hold an amended public hearing at the board's second June meeting before entertaining offers.
On facilities, Kim said new tennis courts will receive a second coat of surfacing and will be closed for several weeks while finishing work occurs, and that the chiller had been operating though some rooms remain warm due to ductwork. She also noted the district’s capital committee will continue to meet and that additional special-education funding and safety-net thresholds have changed favorably for the district.
