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Parents urge board to reconsider administrator raises and seek equitable cuts amid budget shortfall
Summary
Two public commenters asked the Corvallis School District board to reconsider planned executive pay increases and to apply cuts equitably rather than repeatedly reducing services to elementary students.
Two members of the public used the board’s public‑comment period to urge school leaders to reconsider proposed pay increases for district executives and to ask that any budget reductions be applied equitably across programs.
Amanda Cortes, who identified herself as a parent and district resident, told the board she appreciated the district’s budget FAQ but was alarmed that an executive salary increase line item appeared to be protected. “That executive salary raise line item is sacred, was a complete record‑scratch moment for me,” Cortes said, and she asked the district and board to “reconsider the approach of making certain line items untouchable.” Cortes noted that in the prior year elementary students had borne cuts to access for behavioral skills trainers and librarians and asked administrators to consider foregoing raises in the current cycle so students would not be disproportionately affected.
Patricia Von Glunt, a parent and volunteer, told the board reductions must be equitable across electives and specialty programs and asked how the district prioritizes among electives including culinary, woodworking, child care, metalwork, art, music and athletics. She also raised a personnel conduct concern she said had occurred outside the meeting and said such behavior should not recur.
Board members thanked the speakers; the public‑comment rules read at the start of the period emphasize speakers may offer objective criticism of district operations but the board will not hear complaints about individual personnel during public comment. The board did not take action during the meeting in response to the requests; several board members and district staff later noted that the budget process and the posted FAQ are intended to guide follow‑up conversations and that staff will continue to gather comparative staffing data for similar districts as part of budget work.
Speakers and parents in the room also suggested the board and district expand community engagement beyond formal meetings and use the forum and FAQ as a model for additional conversations about priorities.
No board action on administrator pay was recorded at the meeting; follow‑up on budget priorities and staffing comparisons was part of ongoing budget work reported elsewhere on the agenda.
