The Lake County School Board budget committee approved a budget last week based on a $10.3 billion State School Fund. That’s more than the Legislature is offering so far, but it’s what the district says it needs to maintain staff and services.
Lake County School Board Chair Barry Shullanberger doesn’t want to take away programs or ask already stressed teachers to do more with less.
“You want to build a budget where you can be successful,” he said. When the district has to make cuts, “the ultimate people who get hurt are the students.”
School board budget committees around the state are calculating now where the pain will be felt if the Legislature does not increase the allocation. Hard numbers from approved contracts are clear: A $9.9 billion State School Fund will mean fewer teachers, school staff and programs in schools big and small.
Advocates are holding their breath while waiting to see if the May 17 state economic report shows added education investment room. Legislative Highlights is offering weekly articles, “Funding Oregon’s Future,” to help school board members see how their budget pieces fit in the overall state picture.
Lake County Superintendent Michael Carter said they approved a budget based on $10.3 billion because “that keeps everyone in place and current programs in place.” He informed the board that for every $100 million the State School Fund fell below that, the district would need to cut roughly $84,000 from its budget for next year. According to Carter:
- At $10.2 billion, Lake County would cut two staff positions and a program, probably AVID or music.
- At $10.1 billion, Lake County would cut two additional teacher positions, increasing class sizes significantly.
- At $10 billion, Lake County would cut another teacher position, program or administrator.
- At $9.9 billion, Lake County would cut an additional teacher position and another program, such as the wellness room or middle school sports, supplies or activities such as field trips.
Even at $10.3 billion, the district in southeast Oregon has financial challenges ahead. The proposed budget includes modest raises for staff, but the district is in contract negotiations right now. Carter said the unions are asking for significantly more than is in the proposed budget.
Carter said he will be watching the state economic forecast with “trepidation.”
“It’s on my calendar in a big red square,” he said.
The Astoria School District is working on its budget now. Superintendent Craig Hoppes said a $9.9 billion State School Fund would leave the district roughly $900,000 short for the biennium.
“The only thing saving us is our stimulus money,” he said. The federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund money runs out next year, though, and Astoria is considering eliminating positions as they become vacant to prepare.
Based on contracts in hand, Astoria would face a shortfall even at $10.3 billion, Hoppes said, but could maintain most of what it is doing.
“It’s also based on keeping my elementary class sizes at a reasonable level … considering we still are working on catching our kids up and they need those lower class sizes.”
The Hillsboro budget committee has also approved a budget planning for a $10.3 billion State School Fund but with contingency plans for $9.9 billion.
Even at $10.3 billion, Hillsboro will fall short because of current employment contracts. But at $9.9 billion, Hillsboro will be $10.2 million short for the biennium, roughly equivalent to 78 teaching positions or 136 support staff, a four-student increase in average class sizes, or 10.1 school days, according to Superintendent Mike Scott’s budget statement.
Chief Financial Officer Michelle Morrison said the district will use up most of its remaining federal pandemic relief money to fill the hole but that just delays the pain. If state funding doesn’t go up, the district will keep ratcheting back services, letting teaching positions go unfilled and scaling back career and technical education classes and other electives.
Morrison said the calculation increasingly becomes “What do we have to do versus what do we want to do.”
Lake County’s Shullanberger said he hopes legislators and Gov. Tina Kotek will take a hard look at what schools really need.
“We just keep putting a Band-Aid on education,” he said.
– Jake Arnold, OSBA
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Previously in the series: School Leaders Ask Where Money Will Come From For Great Ideas
