Next Steps to Meet an $8 Million Reduction Target
We continue our work to develop a balanced budget for the 2026-27 school year. As shared in October, Highline will need to reduce spending by $8 million to maintain long-term financial stability.
The state does not fully fund basic education. Costs for insurance, utilities, and daily operations rise each year. State funding does not keep pace.
Our local levy fills part of the gap. It covers about 15% of our operating budget. It supports staff, programs, and services the state does not fund. We are grateful our community approved the levy with strong support. That support matters to our students and staff.
Even with strong local support, we must reduce our budget. This step protects financial stability and avoids deeper cuts later. The levy renewal helps us maintain programs that support learning and student success.
At a recent School Board work session, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jackie Bryan shared how our financial policy guides this work. It calls us to direct resources to reduce gaps in achievement. It also calls us to be open about how we make decisions and to balance short-term needs with long-term goals.
Department leaders are now reviewing their budgets. Each team is looking for reductions and ways to work more efficiently. We know these decisions affect people. We approach this work with care.
“At the central level, we are reviewing what we can reduce first. Each department is aiming for about an 8% reduction. Because our work at central office is highly interconnected, it's important that we collaborate across departments to decide where these reductions should take place,” shared Superintendent Ivan Duran.
Department reductions alone will not reach the full $8 million. We will also look for districtwide efficiencies. Staff, families, students and community members will have a chance to share feedback. We value that input and know these decisions touch every part of our system.
“We started the budget development process early so we can make informed decisions throughout the school year,” shared CFO Jackie Bryan.
Budget updates will continue each month at School Board meetings. The board will also hold budget work sessions in March and June.
Budget Development Process
We will share clear updates throughout the year to keep staff, families, and our community informed. Here are the articles we have shared so far:
- May 2025: We outlined the impacts of the new state budget and the underfunding in special education, transportation and basic operations.
- July 2025: The School Board voted to place a levy renewal on the November ballot to help fill the gap in state funding.
- September 2025: We shared more detail about what the levy could support, including programs, services and staff not funded by the state.
- October: Superintendent Ivan Duran shared we must reduce our 2026-27 budget by $8 million to maintain long-term stability.