For students at Mount Baker Senior High, the impact of insufficient state funding isn’t just a political argument or a news headline: it’s felt every day.
From sitting at a TV-tray desk in an overcrowded class to missing out on the opportunity to take certain courses, youth in Mount Baker’s Associated Student Body (ASB) are telling legislators exactly how they’re being impacted. They went to Olympia last week to meet with local representatives, and now, they’re writing letters to the Legislature.
On Tuesday morning, Feb. 25, students involved in ASB wrote on yellow paper — a color chosen intentionally to stand out.
“We picked yellow, because if all of a sudden … you get 20 letters on your desk, it’s going to have a visual impact, because legislators get hundreds of letters and emails a day,” senior Cailyn Jewell said. “We wanted to create something that stood out.”
They’re also encouraging other local students to do the same: At a Feb. 19 gathering of ASBs across the region, Mount Baker students sent other students home with stacks of yellow paper, urging them to write to their legislators about the impacts they’re seeing in their own schools.
As one of several Washington state districts in binding conditions with the state, after challenges with its budget, Mount Baker staff and students have been hit hard by budget cuts, which continue to be exacerbated by insufficient state funding. The district estimates that since 2020, gaps in state funding have cost the district about $17.17 million. Schools across the county, and the state, are also grappling with funding challenges.
Most Mount Baker students mentioned class sizes as the main impact. As the district has cut staff to address budget challenges, classes have grown.
Spanish teacher Christopher Johnson only has 23 desks in his classroom, but in one period, has 38 students. He sits some students at TV trays, and others have “desk buddies,” where they pull up an extra chair and share a desk.
“We make it work,” he said.
Senior Dakota Jimmie is concerned about a potential decline in the number of College in the High School classes. She worries future Mount Baker students will be less prepared for college with fewer advanced classes.
Principal Matt Durand said changes by the state Legislature to the College in the High School program made it so the district can no longer offer those classes through Everett Community College. However, he said they’re planning to partner with other colleges and expect to be able to maintain, or potentially increase, their offerings.
Students involved in clubs have also felt the pinch. Savanna Gooch founded a new club which is part of the International Thespian Society. They travel to state competitions but don’t have school funding to do it. So, the club has fundraised through a car wash, a silent auction and a “character meet and greet” connected to a recent Drama Club production.
“We’ve been able to pull off some great work,” Gooch said. “But it takes a lot of time and a lot of unneeded stress.”
Mount Baker ASB Advisor Emily Shpak said the students’ perseverance despite the financial challenges is “testament to who our district is and what we stand for — that we’re always fighting for each other, regardless of our circumstances.”
She said she’s learned a lot from the students, about the government and how the advocacy process works.
“[The students’] willingness to put themselves out there has been inspiring,” she said.
This story was updated at 10:55 a.m. Feb. 28, 2025 to include information from Mount Baker Principal Matt Durand about the College in the High School program.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
