Tacoma Public Schools faces $30M deficit and layoffs

Tacoma Public Schools is facing a $30 million budget deficit that has led to wide staff cuts and warnings about possible insolvency. This list of stories illustrates how the district eliminated jobs for more than 100 provisional staff.

State funding has covered only about two-thirds of salary and benefits costs, while costs continue to rise. Staff and parents have criticized cuts to classroom and support workers. Meanwhile, the loss of a federal mental health grant could remove critical support for students.

Tacoma Public Schools’ Central Administration Building. By Drew Perine

NO. 1: MORE CUTS IN STORE AT TACOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH HAS RUN OUT OF SAVINGS

District leaders say the TPS deficit is now $30 million with no good answers in sight. | Published May 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi

Sydney Kilen, left, crosses the street with Tate, 2, with the guidance of crossing guard Peggy Tonnema, right, known as Miss Peggy, on the way to pick up a sibling from Washington Elementary School on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash. Kilen used to cross the street with Miss Peggy as a child, Miss Peggy shared. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 2: BELOVED TACOMA SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD KNOWN FOR HER CRAZY OUTFITS LAID OFF

On Tuesday she was dressed as Wonder Woman with a long pink wig, red cape, bejeweled pink glasses, glittery blue skirt and hand-puppet gloves as she cooed at families crossing the street. | Published May 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Becca Most

Tracie Barnett, a clinical social worker and mental health specialist with Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, sits outside Stadium High School, one of the several Tacoma Public Schools where she is contracted to provide mental health services to students, on Friday, May 16, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 3: TRUMP CUTS THREATEN MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR TACOMA SCHOOL STUDENTS

The loss of $2 million in grant funds would be detrimental for a student body that already contends with high rates of depression and trauma, staff say. | Published May 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi

NO. 4: TACOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS CUTS JOBS AMID $30M DEFICIT, WARNS OF MORE TO COME

The district did not renew the contracts for 105 provisional employees for the next school year and will implement more cuts by June 13. | Published May 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi

The crowd claps for Tabitha Plotke, center right, after the secondary teacher with Tacoma Public Schools spoke during the public comment portion of a board of directors meeting on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at TPS Central Administration Building in Tacoma, Wash. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 5: ‘DEFUND ADMIN.’ UNIONS RALLY AGAINST TACOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS CUTS TO CONTINUE

Hundreds of people turned out to rally and submitted dozens of public comments for the district board’s May 22 meeting | Published May 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi

Kari Madden, president of Tacoma Federation of Education Support Professionals, the union that represents ESPs, stands near Foss High School, where Madden works, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash. This group of staff has seen over 100 positions reduced in the last few weeks as Tacoma Public Schools address their $30 million deficit. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 6: ‘NOBODY WINS.’ PARENTS, STAFF REACT TO DEEP CUTS AT TACOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

“It’s disheartening that every time there are cuts, it always starts with the people who will be impacted the worst,” one parent told The News Tribune. | Published May 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.