Marysville School District borrows against future school years amid budget shortfall

The Marysville School District is now back in session, after facing a multi-million-dollar shortfall that was at one point $28 million and is now reduced to $17 million.

Balancing the budget by the state’s mandated Aug. 31 deadline came at a cost. The district voted to borrow money against future school years and to enter into binding financial conditions with the state.

“I’m really just wondering how it got this bad,” said Marysville parent, Jake Lanum.

Even one week into the school year, the approved cuts don’t go unnoticed.

“We know that classrooms are going to be full,” said Becky Roberts with the Marysville Education Association, which represents local teachers. She told us that educators are stretched thin; a disservice to them and students.

“We all know that smaller class sizes are better for kids. We know that,” said Roberts.

Marysville schools will see fuller classrooms after at least 18 teachers and several paraeducators were laid off. Dozens more positions were left unfilled.

“They didn’t make appropriate cuts last year. And so that just pushed that deficit down the road,” said Roberts.

We reached out to the Marysville School District, but officials declined to go on camera or answer questions about how many paraeducators were let go, how much class sizes increased, or whether field trips would be eliminated.

They offered this statement instead, writing in part:

“Marysville School District cares deeply about its employees. These challenging fiscal times affect everyone and may cause undue stress and anxiety.”

The statement also included that the district will continue to “keep students at the forefront of our work.”

The district confirmed that in addition to staff cuts, for the second year in a row, middle school sports have been eliminated, along with online learning options.

Roberts said that despite the cuts, teachers will continue to do all they can to give students there a good education.

“Our teachers in Marysville are very committed to our kids and they will do what it takes,” said Roberts. “They are frustrated. They are. They’re a little bit scared of what’s going to happen, what the year is gonna look like.”