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Board sets 4.5% budget parameter as it plans for seven students in 2026-27
Summary
Superintendent Becky Bell recommended budgeting for a projected enrollment of seven K–5 students and proposed a 4.5% wage increase to align with neighboring districts; the board reached consensus to use the 4.5% parameter and discussed staffing configurations.
Superintendent Becky Bell told the board that the district would budget for a projected enrollment of seven students in grades K through 5 for 2026-27 and recommended a 4.5% cost-of-living increase for wages and salaries. Bell said that neighboring districts planned increases of 4.6% (San Juan) and 4.4% (Orcas) and recommended using the state implicit price deflator of 2.6% plus additional adjustment to land at 4.5%.
Bell described staffing options for next year, including hiring one full-time teacher (1.0 FTE) and one part-time teacher (0.8 FTE), and noted the Office Administrator position would be reduced in hours. She said some budget reductions would offset cost increases and that her contract configuration was being considered separately.
The board reached consensus to prepare the budget using the 4.5% increase as a parameter and identified staffing configuration as a primary driver of the budget. Director Jon Shannon and Teacher Diane Clifton participated in the staffing discussion.
