SEATTLE — Seattle Public Schools is preparing for the worst-case scenario as it predicts a $74 million budget shortfall for the 2017-18 school year.
The Seattle Times reports (http://bit.ly/2h2Hatf ) that Superintendent Larry Nyland said in a message to teachers on Wednesday that unless the Legislature acts, starting in 2018 school districts won’t be able to collect as much money as voters have approved through local levies, costing Seattle schools $30 million.
School officials say if the so-called “levy cliff” has not been resolved by next year they may have to lay off teachers and cut programs.
The district also blamed the shortfall on the fact that the Legislature hasn’t fully funded salaries for school employees despite the district’s labor costs increasing by $25 million.
