Washington Unified trustees hear stark budget outlook, staff outline multi‑year cuts and use of stabilization funds

District staff on Monday described a fiscal outlook that will require multi‑year reductions unless revenue or enrollment trends change.

Monique Stovall, who led the budget presentation, told the Board of Trustees the district is projecting roughly $140 million in general fund revenue for 2026–27 but also projected total general fund expenditures near $150 million. Stovall said the adopted budget shows an unrestricted ending balance of about $3,000,000 — roughly a 2 percent reserve — which is below the 3 percent minimum required by the state and well under the board’s 6 percent policy target.

"We anticipate that those dollars will be gone within 3 years," Stovall said of the district’s budget stabilization fund, characterizing the money as a temporary bridge while the district implements reductions and other corrective actions.

Staff shared multiyear projections required by law and stressed those are an early warning tool, not a prediction. Billy Dubas joined the presentation to review enrollment and revenue drivers, noting the district lost about 140 students between 2024–25 and 2025–26 and projecting further declines that will reduce LCFF revenue tied to average daily attendance.

Officials described a multi‑pronged approach to closing the gap: using one‑time budget stabilization dollars (about $16 million identified previously by the board) to provide short‑term relief, scrubbing non‑personnel contracts and expenditures now, and planning phased reductions that staff estimated could total roughly $12 million over three years to restore the board’s 6 percent reserve target in later years.

Stovall emphasized timing: "The most significant reductions would be effective in the 27–28 school year," and said some non‑personnel reductions (an initial 10 percent administrative budget reduction that reduces about $1 million) are already reflected in the 2026–27 budget.

Trustees pressed staff on process and transparency, asking how the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) will be structured and whether the BAC membership reflects district demographics. Stovall described the BAC as including students, parents, classified and certificated staff and union representatives and said the committee will report recommendations to the board in the fall.

The board directed staff to continue the budget advisory work, return with more detail about potential reductions and timeline, and present a formal resolution committing the board to a multi‑year stabilization approach at a future meeting. No final program eliminations or personnel decisions were made Monday; trustees said they expect detailed options before any permanent reductions are adopted.

What’s next: staff said the district will return June 25 to adopt the formal budget, continue BAC meetings from August to November, and present recommended priorities and any proposed reductions during the fall and December interim reporting cycle.