Olympia school cuts would eliminate positions, raise class sizes, freeze pay
Olympia School District Superintendent Patrick Murphy presented a budget reduction plan to the school board that includes cutting more than 30 full-time equivalent positions, freezing pay and increasing class sizes to support his goal of ending the school year with a higher fund balance.
The plan, which was presented to the board on March 26, includes $3.8 million in cuts at both the teaching and administrative levels.
The Olympian previously reported that the district was overspending this school year by $1.9 million. In order to fill that gap and increase the district’s ending fund balance to 4.7%, the 2026-2027 school year budget needs to be cut by $4.1 million. That means 4.7% ($8,936,000) of the general fund would be available at the end of the 2026-27 year as reserve funds.
Superintendent Patrick Murphy’s ultimate goal is to reach a 7.14% ending fund balance by the 2028-2029 school year, which would mean ending that year with $14,277,000 in reserves, according to previous reporting.
According to previous reporting, he told the board earlier this year that the goal of that is “to restore financial stability, maintain cash flow, and ensure the district can respond to future financial uncertainties.”
The plan includes a reduction of $2.25 million, or 22 positions at the school level. These cuts represent 59% of the total reduction plan, according to meeting documents.
These cuts include increasing class sizes by one student in every classroom from grades 4 through 12. This will cut 5.8 full-time positions, saving $725,000.
Five family liaison staff positions would be discontinued as well. This would kill the family liaison program entirely, according to the plan. The program was funded by emergency federal funding from the COVID-19 pandemic. Discontinuing the program would save the district $340,000. The liason employees work with elementary students and their families, with a focus on low-income and minority families, to ensure students are getting what they need both inside and outside of school. That can include counseling and academic support, and getting access to housing, food and other resources.
The plan also includes discontinuing the elementary art specialist program. This means elementary students would no longer have a standalone art class, but would receive such instruction in the core classroom, according to the plan. The district may consider art instruction through partnerships with Inspire Olympia.
Discontinuing the program means cutting 4.6 positions, which would save the district $667,000.
The plan calls for discontinuing the fifth grade general music class, and transitioning it to band and orchestra. According to the plan, more students have expressed interest in these classes over a general music class. This would cut 1.4 positions and save $173,000.
The district will discontinue its Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), which offers no-cost preschool options to eligible children and families. According to the plan, the district would secure an alternative provider rather than run its own program.
This means cutting four positions, which would save $136,000.
The elementary school assistant principal positions, which total 0.7 full-time positions, are on the chopping block as well. Cutting these positions at Hansen and Centennial would save the district $140,500, according to the plan.
The plan also calls for a reduction of 0.5 positions at Touchstone, which would save $70,000.
Central office and other cuts
Cuts at the central office and other district-wide programs and departments total $1,381,962, which is equal to 9.4 positions, according to the plan.
The board of directors and superintendent’s budgets for projects and committees would be reduced by 50%, which would save the district $50,000.
The superintendent, assistant superintendent, executive directors, directors and other district administration would have their pay frozen. This would save $120,000, according to the plan. And one executive director position would be replaced with a director. This would save an additional $29,000.
The plan also calls for the consolidation of administrative support staff and responsibilities, which means cutting 2.4 positions. This would save the district $219,000.
The district’s accounting supervisor would take a demotion to accounting specialist, which would save $22,697, according to the plan.
Other cuts are in accounts payable, vital records, technology instruction and a pause in Human Resources recruitment efforts.
Another $157,000 would be saved through a hiring freeze for an open custodial position, and through better use of custodial space at elementary schools, according to the plan.
The plan calls for discontinuing the fresh bakery at the central office kitchen, which means cutting two positions. This would save $108,568, according to the plan. The district would also discontinue its professional Braillist position and work with the State School for the Blind for future student needs. This would save $59,745.
Another $250,000 would be saved by reducing the district’s reliance on contracted agency paraeducators, according to the plan. And $180,000 would be saved through a device protection plan and higher involvement in school lunch programs. The new device protection plan means the district would pay less to fix damaged student computers. They also plan to push to get more students who qualify signed up for free and reduced lunches, which means they’d get more federal funding.
A budget survey is available for residents to participate in and share comments on proposed cuts until April 3 on the OSD website.
According to board meeting documents, results from the survey will be compiled and shared after spring break. The board will then have a work session April 2 on the budget, followed by community listening sessions April 14 and April 16 at Jefferson and Washington Middle Schools.
The board would then meet again on the reduction plan April 23, and staff would need to be notified by May 15 of any contract changes. The board is tentatively scheduled to hold a public hearing and vote on the final budget on June 26.
Murphy said during the March 26 meeting that the reduction process is without a doubt the worst part of his job.
“They do amazing work,” he said. “It’s the reason why they were hired in the first place to do that work, and they do it incredibly well.”
He said the district faces a number of challenges, including enrollment decline and the underfunding of public education by the state. He said the only thing he takes solace in at these times is that folks always come to share their support of programs on the chopping block.
Murphy said the Olympia community fights harder for its schools than any he’s been around. He said it’s when they talk about reductions that people come out in droves to speak about how proud they are of their students and the programs being offered.
Cindy Sousa, a mother of a fifth grader and a ninth grader, said during public comment that her family is new to the district, and that they have been impressed with the role of the family liaisons.
Sousa said family liaisons are important and bring pride to the district.
“We came from a district where there was almost no communication and support between families and the school,” she said. “And I know both as a parent, especially a new parent in the district, but also a social work researcher, the difference that role makes.”
She said kids do better when there’s a connection between family and school. She said kids are more likely to be on time, be ready to learn and feel like school is connected to home rather than a foreign, hostile or scary place.
Sousa said research shows that, and that she’s seen it in person as well, such as the way her fifth grader at Garfield talks about school and how other students she’s met seem to enjoy school.
“We know that many students now, especially our immigrant refugee students, do not feel safe out in public,” she said. “They don’t feel safe in school, they don’t feel safe in health centers, they don’t feel safe getting services. Having someone that they know, that they trust, who can make that connection for them is invaluable for their success.”
She said they’re also invaluable for the success of teachers and other staff members.
“We know teachers and staff are already overburdened,” Sousa said. “If they have people in the schools that are taking care of the student needs that are not so much directly related to school outcomes, teachers and staff can focus on their own job responsibilities instead of having to pick up other responsibilities.”
Jessica Ewing is a fifth grade band teacher at five elementary schools as well as Thurgood Marshall Middle School. She said as someone who teaches at six different schools, the proposed changes would create a “scheduling nightmare, as it is already a precarious game of Tetris.”
Ewing said students who opt into elementary instrumental instruction currently receive 90 minutes per week of rehearsal time. If the proposed changes were adopted, they would only receive 70 minutes per week.
“Additionally, eight elementary schools currently have fourth and fifth grade split classes with a combined total of 137 fourth graders attending specialists at the same time,” she said. “How do these fourth graders factor into the schedule change?”
Ewing said this change would also eliminate students’ ability to receive choral instruction in fifth grade, which would in turn decimate the secondary choral programs.
She said it would take around $200,000 to $300,000 to purchase enough instruments to accommodate the district’s needs.
“Additionally, if students are required to take instrumental music, then it would be expected from parents that the district is providing the materials to make it feasible,” Ewing said. “We do not have the instrument inventory to provide instruments for that many students, let alone provide class sets of books and materials.”
She said when students don’t want to participate in something, they’re also not as careful with the instruments, which leads to a higher repair and replacement cost.
“Student choice and student voice matters,” Ewing said. “I would encourage you to involve music staff in the proposal editing process to ensure that the needs of the students are being met.”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with public comments from the March 26 meeting.
This story was originally published March 30, 2026 at 3:35 PM.
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