COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — The Coeur d'Alene School District is considering declaring a financial emergency ahead of a vote next month for a supplemental levy.
It's a tale of two possibilities: if the $25 million levy passes or what happens if if doesn't.
“Wide open," said superintendent Dr. Shon Hocker. "What’s the best way to say it? There’s a lot of concern with a lot of employees as to what the future of the school district may look like.”
The district is again asking voters to approve that $25 million levy, except this time for just two years. A similar measure that would've made the levy permanent failed in March.
The school board will decide Friday whether to declare a financial emergency, after hearing from the public what else can be done earlier this week, per Idaho law.
“Because today, we are in that financial emergency," Dr. Hocker said.
Dr. Hocker says some may question why the district is anticipating the failure of the levy so soon. He says they need to be ready for the worst outcome so they can give staff time to prepare. If the levy fails, the school district will likely cut a quarter of its staff.
“Waiting to do this until the end of May when hiring seasons across the country are coming to a close, we just don’t feel that’s the high road," Dr. Hocker said.
“I’m at peace where I’m sitting," said Azure Wilson, a teacher at Woodland Middle School. "I’m at peace with whatever the outcome may be. I’m more focused on the students and what they'll be losing out on.”
Wilson knows her elective class could be on the chopping block. She's more concerned about Sources of Strength, the suicide prevention program she runs. That could also be lost, since the directors, counselors, and other staff are paid through the supplemental levy.
“Gives kids hope throughout the day, because some kids go home and they don’t have that," she said of the program.
Most other extracurriculars are at risk, too, Dr. Hocker says.
"Yes, they’re all at jeopardy of not being around for those opportunities," he said.
That includes all sports, including the varsity teams.
But Dr. Hocker said the biggest loss will be the people the district stands to lose. They're preparing to tell hundreds of teachers, support staff, coaches, and other educators they can't return next year.
If the levy passes, the school board can rescind the financial emergency. If it doesn't, the board will meet the next day to begin the task of cutting programs and 'workforce reduction'. In simpler terms, letting educators go.
“It’ll be somewhere between 300 and 350, depends on the exact personnel and salaries of those personnel," he said.
That's even with a huge investment into public education from the state. Thursday the district will learn how much the legislature is putting into the budget, but Dr. Hocker says it won't make up the difference if they lose the levy funding.
“For us I think we might get a million bucks," he said. "We have a $25 million levy budget, so you can see it’s a far cry from meeting our reliance on this levy.”
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