Highline Public Schools will reduce its budget by $8 million for the 2026–27 school year, including eliminating 31.5 central office positions, Superintendent Dr. Ivan Duran announced last week.
The district said that reductions are necessary due to ongoing underfunding of public education at the state level, combined with rising costs for staffing, services and daily operations.
The eliminated positions include vacant roles that will remain unfilled as well as positions affecting current employees through layoffs or reassignments, the district said.
“Our financial reality does not change why we are here,” Duran said. “We remain committed to our strategic plan goals and our Highline Promise to know every student by name, strength and need. This is hard work, and it affects people we care about. Please lookout for one another, support your teams, and stay connected as we move through the coming months together.”
District leaders said reductions are being made now to maintain financial stability and avoid more significant disruptions in future years. While the cuts were designed to prioritize students and classrooms as much as possible, officials acknowledged that reductions at this level will also affect the services schools receive.
In the coming weeks and months, the district said that department leaders and staff will work together to determine how the role reductions will affect work and support across the district.
The budget adjustments follow a yearlong process of financial updates and planning. In May 2025, the district outlined impacts of the new state budget and underfunding in special education, transportation and basic operations. In July 2025, the School Board voted to place a levy renewal on the November ballot to help fill gaps in state funding.
In September, district leaders shared details about what the levy could support, including programs, services and staff not funded by the state. In October, Duran announced the need to reduce the 2026 to 27 budget by $8 million to maintain long term stability. Department leaders began reviewing budgets in November to identify potential reductions and efficiencies.
In December, the district shared its 2026 legislative agenda, which included a call for fully funding K to 12 education in Washington state. In January, the district sought community feedback on budget priorities and shared enrollment projections for the 2026 to 27 school year.
“In the coming weeks and months, department leaders and staff will work together to identify how these role reductions affect work and support,” the district said. “We will share updates as plans take shape.”
