LWSD reviews budget proposal
July 2, 2008
By J.B. Wogan
District proposes $217.9 million in spending
The Lake Washington School Board reviewed the 2008-2009 budget proposal during its meeting June 23.
The $217.9 million spending plan calls for an 8.42 percent, or $16.8 million increase in expenditures for the coming year.
The largest proposed increases are for transportation, special education, and special and pilot programs.
Transportation would see an increase in costs of $772,553, or 10.89 percent – from about $7 million to slightly more than $7.8 million.
Special education would jump 9.47 percent, or about $1.6 million – from about $16.9 million to about $18.5 million.
Special or pilot programs would increase 78.17 percent, or $462,949 – from about $592,000 to $1 million.
The increasing costs in transportation are partially driven by soaring gas prices, according to Barbara Posthumus, business services coordinator for the district.
The proposed budget also outlined how money is spent and accumulated by the district.
The largest spending for the district is dedicated to direct classroom support. That number translates to 80.3 percent of spending, roughly $161 million for the 2007-2008 budget.
Direct classroom support includes paying for teachers’ salaries, school materials and textbooks, the salaries of librarians and counselors, as well as the costs of maintaining and providing technology to the school buildings.
The largest source of revenue for the Lake Washington School District is the state, which provides 54.8 percent of the district’s funding.
Local levies provide 17.9 percent of funding. Money set aside from the state for categorical programs – such as special education and English Language Learners education – make up 14.2 percent of the funding.
Federal funds, fee programs, and several smaller district and agency sources provide the remaining sum.
The budget is available online for review and public comment. To view it, go to www.lwsd.org, click “about us,” followed by “budget information.”
A public hearing and the official adoption of the proposed budget are scheduled for the Aug. 11 school board meeting.
To submit questions or comments about the budget, call 702-3300 or send e-mail to
publiccomment@lwsd.org.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com.
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