Dear #OneOakHarbor Community, 

I want to share an important update with you regarding our budget planning process for the next school year. Similar to school districts across Washington state, we are in our fourth year of budget reductions based on three factors; declining student enrollment, rising operational costs, and a state funding model that continues to lag behind in what is needed to provide appropriate and adequate funding to support our students and staff.

Let me share a few examples of unexpected rising operational costs impacting our district. Just last week, we were caught off guard by a 37% rate increase from the Washington Schools Risk Management Pool (WSRMP) for the 2026–2027 school year, an unanticipated expense of approximately $500,000. At the state level, the recent legislative session brought further challenges, including continued budget shortfalls and an estimated 40% reduction in funding for our Transition to Kindergarten (TTK) program, among other cuts. At the same time, shifting enrollment trends are adding pressure, with the high school projected to have its lowest enrollment in more than 20 years next school year.

These new financial pressures, lack of adequate state funding, and the decline in our student enrollment, creates added pressure on an already challenging budget situation. Simply put, it means we must continue to tighten our budget and make difficult decisions in order to remain financially stable. Our 2026-2027 budget reduction totals $3 million in reductions in areas of Operations, Career Technical Education (CTE), libraries, Special Education, and district administration, along with changes related to technology, student fees, facility use fees, and student supplies. Luckily, we did not have to initiate a reduction in force of staff by taking advantage of natural turnover and attrition.

In our current financial reality, there are no easy or popular decisions. Every option comes with trade-offs, and none of these decisions reflect the value we place on our staff, programs, or students. Each decision is made with careful thought on supporting students while navigating these financial realities. I am proud of our community knowing that each decision comes with an emotional attachment. However, we will continue to reduce where and when necessary while maintaining highly supportive learning environments for our students. 

While I wish I could say that these decisions are a one off, I am afraid that until the Washington legislature fulfills their constitutional duty to fully fund public education, we will face budget reductions year after year, making it more and more difficult to offer our students the creative, engaging, and unique educational experience that makes public schools thrive. If you want to be of help, I encourage you to reach out to your legislators and share the personal stories that these budget reductions have on you, your child or your family. It will take all of us to tell the stories that these decisions make in our schools every day and push our legislators to fully fund public schools because our students deserve better. 

Thank you for your continued support, partnership, and understanding during this time.

Sincerely, 

Michelle Kuss-Cybula, Ed.D.

Superintendent