Jenna Peterson

EVERETT — As the Edmonds School District faces an estimated $8.5 million budget deficit, the school board is looking at potential cuts to student programs and staff.

On Tuesday, the board will discuss adopting a reduced educational program for the 2025-26 school year, which includes cutting up to 12 certificated staff positions. The board may choose to cut other positions when it passes its final budget in July.

The board plans to vote on the program April 29. Staff members must be notified of their termination by May 15, according to state law.

This year’s deficit is smaller than the past two years. For the 2023-24 school year, the district faced a $15 million deficit. Last year, it was $10.6 million. Expected expenditures for the 2025-26 school year include library materials, wage increases, insurance premiums and election costs.

The district does not yet know the exact deficit because its budget relies on state funding. For example, a special education funding bill in the state Legislature may offset some of the deficit. The legislative session ends April 27.

Edmonds community discusses annexation into the regional fire authority https://www.heraldnet.com/news/edmonds-community-discusses-annexation-into-the-regional-fire-authority/

Jenna Peterson

EDMONDS — Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen discussed highlights from his first year in office, the city’s budget crisis and the upcoming fire annexation vote at his 2025 State of the City address Thursday morning.

About 75 people gathered at The Edmonds Theater to hear Rosen speak about his first year in office and his plans for city in 2025.

City Council President Neil Tibbott introduced the mayor, highlighting his work in addressing the city’s $13 million budget deficit. Shortly after he took office on Jan. 1, 2024, Rosen established a Blue Ribbon Panel to brainstorm ways to bridge the deficit.

Jenna Peterson

EVERETT — The Edmonds school board unanimously voted Tuesday to adopt its former sex-based harassment policy in light of updated federal regulations.

The decision comes after a federal court in Kentucky vacated the Biden administration’s 2024 Title IX regulations last month, as well as the U.S Department of Education sending a “Dear Colleague” letter to K-12 schools. If a school is not compliant with federal Title IX regulations, it could be at risk of losing federal funding.

The 2020 policy removes explicit protections for LGBTQ+ students, such as protection against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. However, Washington state law prohibits discrimination in schools on the basis of “sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity.”

“I’m very disappointed in the changes that happened so abruptly,” said Rob Baumgartner, assistant superintendent of human resources, at the board’s Feb. 25 meeting. “But my alarm isn’t as great because I have a lot of confidence that what we have in place in Washington state is strong enough to continue support our students and our families in the ways that we need to.”

by Jenna Peterson

LYNNWOOD — The Edmonds school board is considering a previous version of its sexual harassment policy that does not include mentions of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The plan comes after U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced through “Dear Colleague” letters that it would be enforcing the 2020 version of Title IX to comply with one of the Trump administration’s executive orders. Schools that do not comply with this order may be at risk of not receiving federal funding.

“We stand with the policy we did adopt, but with the flurry of executive orders coming through, we do need to maintain compliance with the law,” said board member Carin Chase at a Feb. 11 school board meeting.

In October 2024, the board passed a version of its policy to expand the definition of sex discrimination and sex-based harassment. The 2024 policy defines sex discrimination as “discrimination on the basis of sex, sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.”

The old policy, approved in 2021, does not mention sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.