By Bill Reynolds
La Conner Community News
The La Conner Schools 2025-26 budget, whose books officially closed Aug. 31, continues to age well.
Superintendent David Cram on Sept. 8 said that the local school district in late August received about $540,000 in state special education “safety net” funds, an influx of cash that both bolsters the final numbers for last year’s fiscal game plan and significantly increases the La Conner Schools fund balance going forward.
The additional monies are awarded to school districts to help pay for costs that go beyond regular state and federal special education funding. The state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction manages the application process and awards safety net funds.
“That was a big help,” Cram said of the OSPI award during the Sept. 8 school board study session. “Now it looks like our ending fund balance (for ‘25-26) will be in the $800,000 range or a little higher.”
In July, Cram had projected the school district’s fund balance on Aug. 31 hovering around $500,000.
La Conner’s numbers are equally encouraging regarding student enrollment, the main driver of state support for school districts. Cram had forecast a K-12 full-time student enrollment of 441.9 for the 2026-27 academic year. The tally taken a few days into the school year placed La Conner’s enrollment at 449.5, about eight students above what is budgeted.
The fractions of whole enrollment numbers reflect La Conner students who spend part of the school day attending off-campus career and technology classes.
Cram said this year’s state contribution is around $12,000 per full-time enrolled student.
“I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to stay above budget.”
The 2026-27 enrollment still lags behind last year’s level. Cram said La Conner had 460 enrolled students a year ago. That number dipped to 453 in June 2026, he said.
“We knew we’d be down somewhat this year because of the difference in enrollment between our graduating senior class and the incoming kindergarten,” Cram said.
The kindergarten enrollment is slightly higher than expected, however.
“We have 30 kindergarteners,” Cram said. “That’s up from our projected number. It’s a good start, a solid number.
“We’re hoping next year that our kindergarten could be in the mid-30s.”
As for the start of the present school year, which launched Sept. 1, the board on Tuesday approved salary schedules for its certified and classified staffs, many of whom visited the Skagit County Historical Museum, La Conner Swinomish Library, Swinomish Education Center, and 13 Moons Swinomish Garden as part of a recent inservice activity prior to classes convening.
“It was a really neat experience,” Cram said of the multistop tour. “We appreciate the time they spent with our staff.”
La Conner Schools Director of Teaching & Learning Beth Clothier shared with the board the planned revival this year of the district’s La Conner Lantern publication.
“We’re excited about getting it going again,” Clothier reported to the board. “In the Lantern, we’ll talk about the programs in the district.”
School officials said their goal is to mail the Lantern to all district residents.
“It will go to every single address so that it gets to everybody,” board President Susie Deyo said.
Deyo said she has submitted the board’s application for Washington State School Directors Association honors. The La Conner panel received a WSSDA School Board of the Year award in 2023 and has since been deemed a School Board of Distinction.
Deyo said La Conner’s 2026 application focuses on the district’s academic progress, increased graduation rates, and regular collaborations with the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community.
The WSSDA announces its Boards of Distinction award recipients in early November each year.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
