Shoreline School District Budget
Our budget is a financial tool that guides the collection and distribution of resources in accordance with state law, OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) regulations, School Board guidance, school district policies, and sound financial management principles.
Washington State school districts' fiscal year runs September 1 through August 31. The budget development process typically begins in late winter and culminates when the Superintendent submits a recommended budget to the Board, usually in June. This recommendation is based on projected enrollment; projected revenues and other resources; program requirements; input from administrators, teachers, staff, students, families, and community members; and any mandated reductions.
School Finance 101
Why is there such a focus on General Fund balance, and unreserved fund balance in particular?
Part of the State accounting process each year is to project our beginning and ending fund balance, much like an individual might estimate their savings account goals. If the district spends less than our revenue in a given year, the remainder is fund balance.
The ending fund balance has two parts to it: reserved fund balance and unreserved fund balance:
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The reserved fund balance exists for assets we have for a specific purpose. This includes carryover – or unspent funds – from programs with inflexible expenditures. It also includes things such as our inventory of food items that have not yet been made into a meal and served/sold to students.
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The unreserved fund balance is liquid cash – available to use on any district expenditure and saved for other eventualities, such as lower enrollment than expected or an unexpected expense.
Board Policy 7130 states, in part: The budgeted unreserved fund balance is held to compensate for economic uncertainties and should be targeted at a range between 4.0% and 5.0% of budgeted General Fund expenditures.
School Districts Across Washington are Facing Big Budget Challenges
A declining state priority. Increased student needs.
Rising costs. Unfunded requirements.
These core issues are causing countless school districts across Washington to experience a financial crisis. The state of Washington is constitutionally responsible for fully funding the costs of basic education but even after reforms (the McCleary “Solution”), the state’s efforts aren’t keeping up with actual expenses.
Core Issues with School Funding in WA State
Washington Association of School Administrators, Issues at the Core of Washington State’s School Funding Dilemma, accessed October 7, 2024, <https://www.waschoolfunding.org/>.
Public Schools Funding FAQs
The Washington school funding system is complex, and many previous attempts to explain it are lengthy and time-consuming to read. Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) designed this resource to answer some of the most common questions in a simple, accessible, and easy-to-navigate way. Inside this 32-page booklet, you’ll find answers to 36 frequently asked questions.
This guide clearly explains and helps demystify topics such as how education is funded, the prototypical school funding model, details about levies, and the regionalization and experience factor.
Washington Public Schools Funding Frequently Asked Questions