Tacoma Public Schools is offering the community an opportunity to balance the school district’s budget. You can find a Budget Calculator tool on the Tacoma Public Schools Web site at
www.tacomaschools.org and by clicking on the blue banner called District Budget Outlook 2012.
Using the calculator, you will make tough decisions to balance the school district’s projected $12 million budget deficit over the next four to five years. The services and programs you decide to cut or keep will impact the children, their families, the employees of the district and our community.
The district has also set a public meeting to poll citizens on what district programs and services they believe are most important as the district wrestles with future budget deficits in K-12 education.
This meeting will take place tonight, March 19, and begin at 6:30 p.m. and end at approximately 7:30 p.m., at the Wilson High School auditorium, 1202 N. Orchard St.
At this meeting, community members will have the opportunity to participate in a polling process using a handheld voting device.
The district created this tool to find out what you value most from the wide range of programs and services the district provides, including:
- Central Administration Building
- Teaching Support
- Teaching Activities
- Support Services
The data gathered at this polling meeting – and from the Budget Calculator – will help the district understand what programs and services provided by the district are most important to the broader community.
The district values the community’s input. Ultimately, district leaders and the Board of Directors will make the final decisions on how to deal with the district’s budget deficit, including which programs and services to reduce or eliminate and which revenues to increase, if any.
The state’s estimated $1 billion shortfall in the current biennium – due in large part to the economic recession that has plagued the country – has caused legislators to consider dramatic cuts to a wide range of programs, including K-12 education.
If you cannot attend but would like to share your thoughts on the budget overview, please visit the district Web site at www.tacomaschools.org and click on the blue banner titled District Budget Outlook 2012. You will find a place where you can submit questions or comments online for the Superintendent and School Board members.
For more information, contact the Public Information Office at 253-571-1015.