Tacoma schools facing budget cuts across the district

TACOMA, Wash. — Tacoma Public Schools will present some potential cuts for next year at a public hearing Thursday.

The central administration says costs are up and revenue is down, so spending cuts across the district are necessary, and that could include eliminating positions.

The district says revenue losses from a variety of sources are adding up to about $11.9 million, and increases in costs for the 2019-2020 school year add up to $43.6 million.

The district is proposing several measures to balance the budget with millions of dollars in reductions, but the impact will be felt in different ways.

There will be 156 fewer staff positions for the 2019-2020 school year.  Some positions were eliminated this past school year, and next year, the district will lose about 116 positions in schools and nearly 40 positions among administration and staff.

The district also says for the first time in six years, meal costs could rise and the school board is considering a price increase of .25 cents on meals.

Tacoma Public Schools hasn't raised meal prices since 2013.

The school board will weigh meal prices at its meeting today, and a public hearing on the budget is slated for Thursday at the Tacoma Public Schools administration building, at 601 South 8th Street, at 6 p.m.

Cox Media Group