State School For The Blind

  Average Annual FTEs Near General Fund State Other Funds Total Funds
  (Dollars in Thousands)
Current Budget 98.5 19,217 6,326 25,543
2023-25 Maintenance Level 98.5 19,820 6,412 26,232
Difference from 2023-25 Original 0.0 603 86 689
% Change from 2023-25 Original 0.0% 3.1% 1.4% 2.7%

2023 Policy Other Changes

Digital Accessibility Coordinator 1.0 293 0 293
Equity and Inclusion Outreach 3.0 859 0 859
Library/Media Center Modernization 0.0 225 0 225
2023 Policy Other Changes Total 4.0 1,377 0 1,377

2023 Policy Comp Changes

State Employee Benefits 0.0 6 0 6
WFSE General Government 0.0 819 41 860
Rep Employee Health Benefits 0.0 35 8 43
WPEA General Government 0.0 414 238 652
Non-Rep Recruitment/Retention 0.0 15 1 16
Non-Rep General Wage Increase 0.0 235 16 251
PERS & TRS Plan 1 Benefit Increase 0.0 8 0 8
Vaccine Booster Incentive 0.0 13 1 14
2023 Policy Comp Changes Total 0.0 1,545 305 1,850

2023 Policy Central Services Changes

State Data Center 0.0 (6) 0 (6)
Archives/Records Management 0.0 1 0 1
Audit Services 0.0 3 0 3
Legal Services 0.0 5 0 5
CTS Central Services 0.0 5 0 5
DES Central Services 0.0 1 0 1
OFM Central Services 0.0 173 0 173
GOV Central Services 0.0 41 0 41
2023 Policy Central Services Changes Total 0.0 223 0 223
Total Policy Changes 4.0 3,145 305 3,450
2023-25 Policy Level 102.5 22,965 6,717 29,682
Difference from 2021-23 4.0 3,748 391 4,139
% Change from 2023-25 Original 4.1% 19.5% 6.2% 16.2%

Policy Changes

Digital Accessibility Coordinator

Funding is provided to hire one information technology expert focused on digital accessibility and equity. (General Fund - State)

Equity and Inclusion Outreach

Funds are provided to support outreach services at the Washington State School for the Blind to provide equitable, timely and accessible services to all blind or low-vision children (BLV), school districts, and agencies across Washington state. (General Fund - State)

Library/Media Center Modernization

Funding is provided to enable the Washington State School for the Blind to update its library/media center with necessary upgrades to the braille book collection and to modernize accessible digital learning materials for blind and low-vision students. (General Fund - State)

State Employee Benefits

Health insurance funding is provided for state employees who are not represented by a union, who are covered by a bargaining agreement that is not subject to financial feasibility determination, or who are not part of the coalition of unions for health benefits. The insurance funding rate is $1,160 per employee per month for fiscal year 2024 and $1,233 per employee per month for fiscal year 2025. (General Fund - State)

WFSE General Government

Funding is provided for a general wage increase of 4%, effective July 1, 2023; a general wage increase of 3%, effective July 1, 2024; targeted job classification base range increases; recognition and retention lump sum payments for employees employed on or before July 1, 2022 and continuously employed through July 1, 2023; shift premium increase for eligible shifts from $1 to $2.50 per eligible hour; a COVID-19 booster incentive of $1,000; supplemental shift premium increases for nurse classifications; 5% premium pay for employees who are assigned to a facility that provides direct care to residents, patients and/or clients and whose duties are required to be performed on location; and an increase of $250 to the annual lump sum payment for Labor and Industries risk classes 7200/7201. (General Fund - State, School for the Blind Account - Non-Appropriated)

Rep Employee Health Benefits

This provides health insurance funding as part of the master agreements for employees who bargain for health benefits as part of a coalition of unions. The insurance funding rate is $1,160 per employee per month for fiscal year 2024 and $1,233 per employee per month for fiscal year 2025. (General Fund - State, School for the Blind Account - Non-Appropriated)

WPEA General Government

Funding is provided for a general wage increase of 4%, effective July 1, 2023; a general wage increase of 3%, effective July 1, 2024; targeted job classification base range increases; recognition and retention lump sum payments for employees employed on or before July 1, 2022 and continuously employed through July 1, 2023; shift premium increase for eligible shifts from $1 to $2.50 per eligible hour; and a COVID-19 booster incentive of $1,000. (School for the Blind Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State)

Non-Rep Recruitment/Retention

Funding is provided for recognition and retention lump sum payments for employees employed on or before July 1, 2022 and continuously employed through July 1, 2023. (School for the Blind Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State)

Non-Rep General Wage Increase

Funding is provided for wage increases for state employees who are not represented by a union or who are covered by a bargaining agreement that is not subject to financial feasibility determination. It is sufficient for a general wage increase of 4 percent, effective July 1, 2023 and a general wage increase of 3 percent, effective July 1, 2024. This item includes both general government and higher education workers. (School for the Blind Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State)

PERS & TRS Plan 1 Benefit Increase

For eligible Public Employees' and Teachers' Retirement Systems Plan 1 members, this item provides an increase of 3%, up to a maximum of $110 per month. (General Fund - State)

Vaccine Booster Incentive

Funding is provided for a $1,000 lump sum COVID-19 booster incentive for non-represented employees. This funding does not cover institutions of higher education. (School for the Blind Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State)

State Data Center

Adjustments are made for each agency's share of costs related to the State Data Center. (General Fund - State)

Archives/Records Management

Adjustments are made for each agency's anticipated share of charges for archives and records management services provided by the Secretary of State's Office. (General Fund - State)

Audit Services

Adjustments are made for each agency's anticipated cost of audits performed by the State Auditor's Office. (General Fund - State)

Legal Services

Adjustments are made for each agency's anticipated cost of legal services provided by the Attorney General's Office. Because legal services expenditures are based on consumption, funding provided in the central service model is not all inclusive. The methodology to estimate consumption has been updated from a three-year average to a two-year average and allows for analysis to incorporate unique agency circumstances. (General Fund - State)

CTS Central Services

Adjustments are made to reflect each agency's anticipated share of charges from Consolidated Technology Services (CTS) for the Office of the Chief Information Officer, Office of Cybersecurity, state network, enterprise services, small agency IT services, security gateways, and geospatial imaging services. This amount now includes the total amount for agencies that use the Microsoft 365 shared tenant. See Chapter 11 of the 2023-25 OFM Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (General Fund - State)

DES Central Services

Adjustments are made to reflect each agency's anticipated share of charges from the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) for campus rent, parking, contracts, and security; capital project surcharges; financing cost recovery; public and historic facilities; real estate services; risk management services; personnel service rates; the Perry Street and Capitol Campus child care centers; small agency services; and the department's enterprise applications. See Chapter 11 of the 2023-25 OFM Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (General Fund - State)

OFM Central Services

Adjustments are made to reflect each agency's anticipated share of charges for existing statewide applications, the One Washington program, and other central services provided by the Office of Financial Management. See Chapter 11 of the 2023-25 OFM Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (General Fund - State)

GOV Central Services

A new central service is created to reflect each agency's anticipated share of charges from the Office of the Governor for statewide policy staff and the Office of Equity. (General Fund - State)