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CONTACT THE ENTERPRISE Jocelyn Robinson, News editor jrobinson@heraldnet.com

School finances show progress

By Sarah Koenig
Enterprise reporter

The Shoreline School District has closed the books on 2007-08 with a roughly $2.9 million unreserved fund balance.

The number shows the dramatic progress the district has made over the years, officials said at the Nov. 3 Shoreline School Board meeting. The financial books were recently closed on last year.

At the close of 2005-06, the district was about $2.7 million in the red. At the close of 2006-07, the district was $1.7 in the red.

The unreserved ending fund balance for 2007-08 is about $1.3 million higher than the $1.6 million balance projected in July.

The fiscal progress achieved is the result of deep and unpopular cuts in recent years -- closing schools, programs, staff positions, transportation and more.

Deputy superintendent Marcia Harris said those cuts are the reason the district has come so far.

"The experience Shoreline has been through in the last three years is not something we'd want to relive," Harris said.

In recent years, state officials have overseen the district's budget through a process called "binding conditions." Once the district reaches a fund balance that is 4 to 5 percent of its budget, it will be released from binding conditions.

The current fund balance is still not at that level, so the district has further to go.

"The district remains on binding conditions, perhaps until OSPI receives this year's year-end report," Harris said.

OSPI is the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, which oversees school districts.

"The last four years have been incredibly brutal, and the last two years horrendous," said board member Mike Jacobs. "But thanks to the expertise of staff you've done wonderful things."

He said board members who'd made unpopular decisions to help achieve savings "deserve credit as well."

"It's phenomenal," said board president Debi Ehrlichman. "It's much better than any of us could have anticipated."

Superintendent Sue Walker said that it was a relief that while other districts are looking at making deep cuts this year, Shoreline isn't and "can catch its breath."