TTSD Families & Staff,

As promised, I'm writing to share a brief update regarding our district’s budget challenges. This week, the State provided its quarterly Economic and Revenue Forecast and the news has us cautiously optimistic. State economist Mark McMullen summarized, saying “Available resources are up sharply… Not just today, but in the future.” What does this mean for the State Schools Fund (SSF)? We hope lawmakers will approve a SSF that will not only prevent any further cuts to districts but will help us sustain the critical staffing needed to successfully address the academic and social-emotional needs of our students today.

Previously I shared the challenges we face regarding the loss of student enrollment over the past few years and how the loss of 1,100 students impacts the State funding TTSD receives. Over the past few weeks, we have worked closely with our principals and our associations to adjust our staffing to meet the number of students we are currently serving. I want to thank our teachers and classified leaders who have come to the table to assist us in making these difficult decisions.

As we have navigated these difficult decisions, there is good news to share. After the initial reduction of 19 teaching positions, we are currently in the process of bringing back 11 of those individuals. Our work now focuses on continuing our relentless advocacy for responsible State funding. Please join us in reaching out to your state representatives to impress upon them the need to invest in education and prioritize our students… our future.

We will continue this work in the weeks to come. Upcoming opportunities to stay informed and engage in this work include:

TTSD School Board Meeting, Monday, May 22nd at 6:30 PM

TTSD Budget Committee Meeting, Wednesday, May 24th at 6:30 PM  

Please watch for further updates in our next newsletter on June 2nd.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Dr. Sue