Tacoma public schools to cut more than 100 staff amid $30M budget shortfall

Tacoma Public Schools (TPS) is cutting staff by more than 100 positions ahead of the upcoming school year, as the district works through a $30 million budget shortfall.

“On April 15, 115 provisional certified employees received notice that their contract was paused for the 2025-26 school year. This week, 105 of them received notice that their contract is not renewed for the 2025-26 school year,” TPS said in a statement.

An additional 59 certificated staff members have been notified that they will still be employed with the district, but will not remain in their current positions for the next school year.

“When we are forced to make position cuts, our primary goal is to minimize the impact on the classroom environment to the best of our ability,” TPS stated.

Tacoma Public Schools continued outlining its ongoing budget struggles and its overwhelming allocation towards staff salaries and benefits.

“This year was especially challenging, knowing that 86% of the general budget is staff salaries and benefits, and the state only provides 65% of what we need to cover these costs,” TPS wrote.

Potential effect on students

The ability to provide high-quality learning capabilities remains a high priority amidst the staff cuts.

“Supporting students is a priority, and it is not lost on anyone that every support for students comes from a caring adult who may be impacted by these cuts,” TPS noted.

The district continued to shed light on the students’ treatment and staff transition throughout this process.

“When we are forced to make position cuts, our primary goal is to minimize the impact on the classroom environment to the best of our ability,” it wrote.

The district’s past financial struggles

In a separate statement last week, Tacoma Public Schools shared the district’s financial burdens and possible causes.

“In the last two years, we cut $40 million to reach a balanced budget. Every year, it gets harder and harder to keep those cuts away from the classroom,” according to TPS. “The $30 million budget shortfall we face in 25-26 has forced us to make difficult budget decisions that directly impact schools and continue to impact the central office.”

The Tacoma Public School district does not believe that this will be the end of their budget struggles as costs pile up.

“We anticipate ongoing rising costs of salaries, benefits, utilities, fuel, meals, and building supplies,” TPS stated.

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