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Selah School Board adopts 2024–25 budget, citing $1.3 million shortfall
Summary
After a year-long reduction process, the Selah School District board adopted the 2024–25 budget (Resolution 2420-12), approving a $66 million revenue plan against $67.5 million in expenditures and a projected $1.3 million deficit; the board emphasized cuts through attrition and warned of growing special-education costs.
The Selah School District Board of Directors voted to adopt the district’s 2024–25 budget under Resolution 2420-12 after a public hearing and more than 10 months of review.
Superintendent Chris McKay and district finance staff told the board the draft budget anticipates roughly $66,000,000 in revenue and $67,500,000 in expenditures for the coming year, producing a projected shortfall of about $1,300,000. "We worked tirelessly on this project," McKay said, adding that administrators felt confident bringing the proposal forward.
The administration presented $1.5 million in expenditure reductions developed over the year. Those reductions included cuts to professional development and travel, tighter curriculum consumable budgets, technology device replacement pauses, and program reallocations. Staff described staffing changes achieved mainly through attrition: 8 certificated full-time equivalent positions were eliminated overall (including one administrative position) while two classified FTE were added in targeted areas. Finance lead Stephanie told the board that special education is a key pressure point, projecting roughly a $785,000 deficit next year and describing a planned application for state safety-net funds that, if awarded, would likely cover $50,000–$100,000 of that gap.
Board members pressed staff on debt-service timing, levy constraints and capital needs. Staff explained that bond principal is due on set dates and that levies are fixed amounts approved by voters, and they reviewed an approximately $6.8 million projected ending balance in the capital projects fund (part of which is a designated donation for a future tech center).
At the public hearing, a district staff leader and SEOP co-president asked whether administrative positions were considered for reductions; staff replied reductions were reviewed across categories and one high-level certified director role had been reassigned and cut when an attrition opportunity arose.
Board President (S1) moved to adopt the budget as presented; after brief discussion the board voted in favor and the chair announced adoption of Resolution 2420-12. The budget adoption proceeded without a recorded member-by-member roll call in the transcript; the board handled subsequent administrative resolutions as a separate unanimous vote.
The administration noted a multiyear forecast that, without legislative changes, would require additional cuts in future years (roughly $1 million in 2025–26 on top of the current reductions, with further smaller amounts thereafter). Officials emphasized that roughly 81% of the district budget is personnel costs, and they reiterated a preference for achieving reductions through attrition rather than layoffs.
The board closed the public portion of the hearing after adoption and moved on to routine resolutions and reports. The district will post the full budget packet and a citizen’s guide on its website for public review.
