Edmonds Washington School District

Schools' dilemma: Workers don't have to accept pay cuts that state passed

Seattle Public Schools and many other school districts across the state are struggling with how to handle pay cuts that state lawmakers approved for teachers, principals and other school staff. Under those employees' contracts, districts can't pass along the cuts without union approval.

By Linda Shaw

Seattle Times education reporter

Seattle school administrators last week proposed a budget with one, big question mark: Will teachers, principals and other school staff accept $4 million in pay cuts that were approved in Olympia?

They don't have to. Under their union contracts, employees aren't required to give up a cent in salary, no matter what state lawmakers voted.

But administrators are asking them to do so, hoping to avoid cutting $4 million from other areas, some of which they have cut already.

The same negotiations are going on across the state as schools districts figure out how to absorb more than $1 billion in state funding cuts, including $179 million in salary reductions. For teachers and support staff, lawmakers voted to lower state salary allocations by 1.9 percent. For administrators, it's 3 percent.

A few districts have already settled the matter with teachers. In Issaquah, for example, the district decided to keep salaries where they are and make cuts elsewhere. To avoid a salary cut, though, teachers must work an additional 10 hours in the upcoming school year.

In Shoreline, teachers agreed to the 1.9 percent reduction but also will work three fewer training and planning days, when students aren't at school. "We didn't want to allow a state-funding problem to feed into a local conflict," said Eric Scaia, president of the Shoreline Education Association.

Most districts are in the middle of negotiations. In the Puget Sound area, along with Seattle, they include Bellevue, Edmonds, Federal Way, Kent and Lake Washington.

In Seattle, union leaders have told the School Board to look elsewhere to make reductions. They pointed to Issaquah, saying Seattle, too, should figure out a way to spare their employees' salaries. Olga Addae, president of the teachers union, has said she'd rather see the district forgo buying new textbooks.

But Duggan Harman, the district's executive director of finance, said postponing textbook purchases would be just a one-year fix.

STPNS - Local candidates gear up for fall elections, Edmonds ...

EDMONDS, Washington (STPNS) -- The filing deadlines closed Friday, and Edmonds voters have a full slate of candidates to consider for the Aug. 16 primary or the Nov. 8 general election.

All positions with only one or two candidates will be in the Nov. 8 general election, while three or more candidates trigger a primary (Aug. 16) election.

The Snohomish County Council’s District 2 seat has attracted three candidates.

Brian Sullivan, the incumbent from Mukilteo, is running against Glen Sayes, also of Mukilteo, and Jason Mills of Everett.



Snohomish County Council District 3 is a two-person race between incumbent Stephanie Wright of Lynnwood and Kathleen (Kathy) Vaughn of Lynnwood.

Wright was appointed to fill the position vacated by Mike Cooper last summer when he left to become mayor of Edmonds.

The Edmonds’ mayoral race features appointed incumbent Cooper squaring off against two former Edmonds City Council members – Dave Earling and Roger Hertrich.

Edmonds City Council Position 4 is another race that will see primary action, pitting incumbent Diane Buckshnis against Tad W. Helke and Bob Wilcox.

Edmonds City Council Position 5 sees incumbent DJ Wilson meeting Joan Bloom in the November general election.

The Edmonds council Position 6 seat now occupied by Steve Bernheim will feature Frank Yamamoto pitted against Alvin Rutledge in the November general election.

Edmonds City Council Position 7 sees appointed incumbent Lora Petso running against Darlene Stern in November.

Edmonds School Director District 3 features Nathan Yaffee of Mill Creek running against Gary Noble of Lynnwood and Boe Lindgren, also from Lynnwood.  

Edmonds School Director District 5 has a four-way contest featuring Mark Dillan, Mark Zandberg, Diana White and  Linda Hood, all of Edmonds.

The County Executive race puts incumbent Aaron Reardon of Everett against Mike Hope of Lake Stevens.

Three citizens are running for the position of County Assessor: incumbent Cindy Portmann of Everett, Chris Vallo of Lake Stevens and Betty DeLay of Arlington.

Four races will see only one candidate: Carolyn Weikel  for  County Auditor; Sonya Kraski for County Clerk; John Lovick for County Sheriff; and Kirke Sievers for County Treasurer.

Educational innovation in the United States, summaries of 628 best school practices adopted by 323 good school systems, 1957-1964

Community organizing guide

A study of three elementary schools constructed from a single modifiable plan in the Edmonds, Washington school district

Human Resources Administration, A School-Based Perspective

Official Congressional Directory, 109th Congress