Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Thurston County superintendents warn of flat funding, facility needs and mounting student mental-health demand
Summary
County superintendents told commissioners on Feb. 18 that flat state funding and rising costs are forcing program cuts even as districts face aging buildings, enrollment volatility and growing student mental-health needs.
Thurston County school superintendents told the county commissioners at a Feb. 18 work session that flat state funding, rising operating costs and declining kindergarten enrollment are squeezing district budgets and putting non-core supports at risk.
Kevin Bogart, a superintendent who spoke early in the session, highlighted a recently passed local capital levy that he said represents "about a $50,000,000 investment into the ... school district," and said much of levy spending goes to invisible but necessary work such as roofs and HVAC systems. He also told commissioners the district has seen insurance costs climb sharply, from roughly $900,000 to about $1,800,000, which he said is worsening budget pressure.
Other superintendents described similar strains. Chris Woods said his district is…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
