The Washougal School District is focused on the following financial goals:

  1. Achieve a Balanced Budget: Implement necessary budget reductions and revenue enhancements to ensure expenditures do not exceed revenues.

  2. Maintain Fund a Healthy Balance: Maintain the current fund balance at or above the School Board’s policy target of 6%, with the goal of sustaining a fund balance of 8%.

  3. Align Staffing with Enrollment: Adjust staffing levels to correspond with declining student enrollment, optimizing resource allocation without compromising educational quality.

  4. Maintain Financial Transparency and Community Engagement: Continue to involve the community in budgetary decisions through surveys and public meetings, fostering trust and collaboration.

  5. Advocate for Adequate State Funding: Engage with state legislators to address underfunding issues, particularly in special education and operational costs, to secure necessary financial support.

By focusing on these goals, the district can work towards financial stability while maintaining its commitment to providing quality education.

For the 2026-2027 school year, we anticipate a roughly 4% decline in enrollment.  A large driver of the enrollment decline is the lower birthrate, and having fewer students in Kindergarten each year than are graduating from Washougal High School.  This gradual decline in enrollment is projected to continue for several more years.

Based on the projected decline and Washougal’s current financial outlook, we anticipate a smaller number of reductions than past years, most of which should be achieved through attrition.

Estimating a reduction will always look like a moving target due to enrollment changes, staff movement, legislature updates, etc. It is anticipated that any reduction in staffing would be achieved through attrition.  The current potential reduction: $675,000-$850,000.  This anticipated reduction is based on a continuation of local levy funding. Local levy funds provide 20% of the district budget.

Items considered when looking at potential reduction:

  • Loss of FTE and the associated state apportionment dollars

  • Additional Levy rollback due to declining enrollment

  • Obligations within our collective bargaining agreements

  • Increase in SEBB insurance costs

  • Increase in our materials, supplies, and operating costs due to inflation

  • Legislative changes that affect funding, including Transition to Kindergarten enrollment caps, tax changes under SB 5814, and other unfunded mandates

The graph below shows the budgeted expenditures for 2025-2026, which is also shared in the survey.

You can learn more about the district’s budgeting process on the District Budget Information Page, which includes the budget development timeline we use.

You can access the survey by clicking this link. 
The survey will stay open through early February. Results from the survey will be shared with district staff and the school board to help guide the budget process.  A summary of the survey results will be posted to the website after the survey closes.