With huge budget problems looming, Kelso School District is faced with laying off up to 40 employees, charging students to play sports, and closing its alternative high school next year.

Those possible actions are among a long list of deep budget cuts presented to the Kelso School Board on Monday night to address an expected $2.6 million drop in state basic-education funding next year.

That figure could climb, depending on what the state Legislature does as it tries to dig out of a huge budget deficit.

Board members emphasized no cuts have yet been made, and decisions probably won’t be made until mid-March at the earliest. Several public forums are being planned next month to gather opinions before the board acts.

“These are very painful cuts. I want to acknowledge it’s hard for me to roll out a list that’s going to hurt people,” said Superintendent Glenys Hill.

The list Hill presented proposes cutting 18.5 teachers, all 2.5 elementary school counselors, two middle school librarians and possibly seven elementary school librarians. If elementary librarians are cut, aides would run the facility, Hill said, but it’s possible the district will keep its librarians and cut the aide positions.

Cutting the aides would save about $200,000 less than cutting the librarians.

To fund coaching positions, Hill recommended a “pay to play” program, in which high school students would pay $50 to play a sport. Middle school students would pay $15 per sport. The district is considering cutting its high school “C” teams and middle school “B” teams.

In addition, several administrative positions would be cut, including Kelso High’s dean of students and the district’s public information officer.

The district is also proposing to close Loowit High School, an alternative high school with has between 40 and 50 students, Hill said. Less than half of the students actually live in the Kelso School District, and those students would be enrolled at Kelso High School.

If budget problems continue, Hill said the district will consider closing another school in the 2010-2011 school year.

“Is it possible to see other ways of cutting the budget?” asked board member Mike Haas.

Other ideas were considered by the district’s budget advisory committee “but didn’t gather much support” or violated district contracts, Hill said. More suggestions are expected to surface during community forums next month, she added.

Several things prompted the cuts. The district expects enrollment to drop 118 students next year. State-provided money is based on enrollment numbers. Also expected is a $746,000 drop in levy-equalization dollars and the cost of doing business is expected to rise.

Separate from the state’s basic-education funding crunch is a projected drop in I-728 dollars. The voter-approved initiative was intended to fund smaller class sizes and pay for some programs, such as all-day kindergarten, but is expected to be cut at the state level.

The district expects to lose $468,000 in state I-728 dollars next year in addition to the $2.6 million drop in basic education funding. That means he district likely won’t offer all-day kindergarten next year and could cut another eight staff positions, Hill said.

“It’s overwhelming and a lot to take in,” said Board President Patty Wood of the proposed cuts.

Some of the proposed position cuts:

• 18.5 teachers

• 1 custodian

• All elementary school counselors (2.5 positions)

• 1 technology support position

• Reducing highly capable teacher to a part time position

• 1 assistant maintenance supervisor

• 1 district’s public information officer

• 1 security officer

• 2 middle school librarians

• 7 elementary school librarians OR some library aides

Some of the proposed program cuts:

• Loowit High School closure

• All-day kindergarten

• Cispus/Outdoor school

• Elementary swim program

• High school “C” teams

• Middle school “B” teams (boys and girls basketball and girls volleyball)

• Fifth-grade orchestra

• Changing Wallace Elementary School schedule to match regular school calendar

Related link:

Comprehensive list of proposed Kelso School District budget reductions