Oregon Public Broadcasting

This week, school districts across Washington are notifying teachers that they may not have jobs next fall. Seattle is expected to lay off more than 150.

Meanwhile, two of the state’s top elected officials may get some tough questions from teachers Thursday night in Spokane. Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports.

The Spokane district announced it intends to lay off 103 teachers as part of its strategy to reduce a $9 million deficit.

At one public school budget forum, Spokane’s associate superintendent, Mark Anderson, said the district expects to raise class sizes in all grades. But he says he hopes to use a million dollars in federal stimulus money to help balance the school budget.

Over the next few months, he says, the district expects to call back at least 60 of the laid-off teachers.

Mark Anderson: “We hope we get some more retirements. Then, using that federal stimulus money, we might even be able to add some new jobs. We hope by the end of the summer we’ve recalled everyone.”

That would be welcomed by the teachers attending the Washington Education Association’s convention in Spokane this week.

On Thursday night, they’ll have a chance to grill Governor Chris Gregoire and State Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown about school budget cuts.