The Lake Washington School District (LWSD) has postponed all its public budget input meetings, including the one planned for Eastlake High School on March 25, as it awaits word from Olympia on the finalized state budget.

According to LWSD Director of Communications Kathryn Reith, the meetings were canceled because it was still unclear how much money the district will get from the state, so it’s still too early to determine how much money must be cut from the district’s 2010-11 budget.

The Legislature has spent the past week in an extended session, ironing out the state budget. By law, the Legislature can have an extended session for a month.

It was hoped the finalized state budget would have been voted on and passed by Friday. But as a final agreement continues to evade lawmakers, the final budget numbers for K-12 education are still in limbo.

Only when the state budget is finalized will the LWSD know exactly how much it will have to cut from its budget.

The postponed budget input meetings will be rescheduled for early April, but if things go well in Olympia, the district may cancel all the meetings, Reith said.

“We could potentially cancel the meetings if the right set of legislative items pass and the cuts are minor or zero.”

LWSD estimated earlier this month that it would have to cut $3.6-8.4 million from its budget based on state budget proposals. But there are bills the Legislature is considering that may increase funding for education and decrease the district’s anticipated cuts, Reith said.

“It’s a little more optimistic,” she said. “We’re trying to be hopeful. We’re still holding our breath.”

Reith said previously that teacher layoffs are likely, but did say Tuesday “there is a chance” that the district could avoid teacher layoffs — like it did last year — if the state allows for more funding for education.

But the LWSD is bracing for possible layoffs, meaning the public budget input meetings must completed by early April, at the very latest, Reith said.

“Time is a factor, definitely,” Reith said. “We have a hard deadline of May 15 for layoff notices. We need time before that to complete the HR processes, so meetings would need to be completed by mid-April at the latest. If we start running up against that deadline, we might ask for input on a worst-case scenario and then restore items as the state budget allows.”

“We continue to wait for the numbers, from Olympia,” said LWSD Deputy Superintendent of Operations Janene Fogard. “Once we know, we are prepared to move quickly.”

Fogard noted that the district’s spring break takes place from March 29 to April 2. If the final state budget numbers translate into significant budget cuts for the district, meetings will most likely be scheduled during the weeks of April 5 and 12. An online input page will be open around the same period.

The district budget will be submitted to the LWSD Board of Directors in June for the first hearing and then will be approved in August, Reith said.

Community members can check the district’s Web site at www.lwsd.org over coming weeks to confirm the revised meeting schedule.