Schools' budget in recovery

David Cram pulled down his share of rebounds as a La Conner High basketball player in the 1980s.

But perhaps his most impressive rebound has come in the financial arena over the past 15 months.

Cram, now the La Conner Schools financial chief and interim superintendent, has overseen a fiscal bounce back resulting in notification from Olympia this week that the district is released from state financial oversight.

During the fiscal year Sept. 1, 2023-Aug. 31, 2024, the school system grew its reserve fund balance from a paltry $25,000 to a robust $1.07 million, just shy of its board's goal of maintaining a cushion equal to 10% of the district's annual operating budget.

In a report at Monday night's school board meeting, Cram announced the district's K-12 enrollment level – which plunged in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic – has now stabilized above the 460 students projected for the 2024-25 year.

Student enrollment drives state funding of public school districts.

"We're making great progress," Cram said. "It has enabled us to get out of binding conditions."

The state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sets binding conditions to firm up a school district's budget status.

Monday morning correspondence from OSPI confirmed the release from that obligation.

"It's remarkable," said board member John Agen, "that this much progress has been made in such a relatively short time."

Cram stressed that the district's improved financial picture has not been without costs.

"This," he told the board, "has come with a tremendous amount of sacrifice. We had to make drastic cuts in our staff."

The positive financial trend coincides with the launch of the district's new four-year levy election campaign. La Conner Schools will place on the February 2025 ballot a replacement measure seeking $1.11 per $1,000 assessed property valuation, a rate Cram said is second lowest in Skagit County to the Anacortes School District.

"It's tough to compete with Anacortes," he said, "because they have the refineries for their tax base."

"Other districts ask for a lot more," board President Susie Deyo stressed. "It demonstrates we're being very conservative and thinking of our community."

Cram said the assessment rate is designed "so the community won't feel an impact from this."

"Hopefully," added Agen, "the public recognizes we are being as diligent and frugal as we can possibly be."

The board accepted donations from community groups that bolster district programs.

La Conner Soroptimists donated $600 toward purchase of tee-shirts for the campus Eagles Club. The Rick Epting Foundation presented a $1,000 check to the elementary school earmarked for music appreciation and education.

"I'm quite happy to present this $1,000 check so fourth and fifth graders can perform with the Seattle Symphony," said Ranger Kidwell-Ross of the Epting Foundation.

Elementary music teacher Karen Rentko said students here are also in line to receive a curriculum on the history of jazz and swing music.

Rentko said the Seattle Symphony opportunity, with youths invited to play their recorders, is invaluable.

"Kids learn concert etiquette and come back and say 'wow,'" she said. "It's a hands-on, full-body experience. It allows them to see the world outside their own little bubble."

Kidwell-Ross pointed out that playing music helped pay for his two college degrees in economics.

"Music," he said, "has been very good to me."

Career and Technology Education Director Ryan Hiller made a presentation on district technology needs. He said the district typically purchases new laptops on a rotating basis for fifth and ninth graders but did not buy any computers last year.

Deyo praised Hiller for his knack of finding grant resources and good prices for technology purchases.

The board also addressed the freeway collision last week involving the high school girls' soccer team bus, an incident that fortunately resulted in no serious injuries.

Cram said the Washington State Patrol has determined the district was not at fault for the wreck and that its inspection found no mechanical issues with the bus, one of its newer vehicles, with just 17,000 miles logged.

The bus, he said, has been totaled and it might be two months to get it replaced.

Deyo thanked staff for how well they responded, including making the counseling team available to the soccer team upon its return on a North Shore School District bus.

Deyo closed the 90-minute meeting by inviting the community to join a Dec. 5 (3-4:30 p.m.) Zoom session addressing public education funding with state lawmakers.