“Failure” Costs District $38,000

WAITSBURG - Waitsburg School Superintendent Carol Clarke announced at the Sept. 10 school board meeting that the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) will recover $38,708 from the district's September apportionment due to the district's "failure to maintain effort in the special education program". Clarke said the unexpected financial ding is "a tough one."

Clarke explained that the recovery comes as a result of staff reductions that took place in 2009 and 2012. In 2009 the district chose to reduce the administration staff from three to two. The administrator...