Salem-Keizer previews two-year integrated plan as budget boost collides with rising personnel costs

Superintendent Castaneda and district leaders on Jan. 28 presented a preview of Salem‑Keizer Public Schools’ proposed two‑year integrated plan and community engagement findings, telling the school board the governor’s recommended budget could add roughly $81 million in general fund resources over the next biennium while personnel costs remain the fastest‑growing expense.

The presentation combined a budget scenario, a summary of fall and spring engagement with families, students and staff, and an outline of strategies tied to the board’s five results measures. "There is a lot that we don't know right now. So this is not a projection. This is more like a scenario," Superintendent Castaneda said as district leaders described uncertainties related to bargaining and enrollment.

Why it matters: district leaders said the possible revenue increase is historic for Oregon but warned that personnel costs — which they said make up about 90% of operating expenses — will absorb most new funding. That tension will shape bargaining and budget choices during the legislative session and the district’s internal planning cycle.

Overview and timeline District staff said the plan is intended to align a two‑year budget and an integrated plan required by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) with the board’s strategic results policy. Dr. Jonathan McElroy told the board the district had "engaged over 2,000 individuals across students, families, staff, and community members" in recent outreach and that the integrated plan will return to the board for a deeper review Feb. 25, a final approval on March 11, and submission to ODE thereafter.

Budget context District leaders showed a scenario based on the governor’s recommended state budget. Superintendent Castaneda and staff said the scenario would add an estimated $81 million to Salem‑Keizer over the biennium if current assumptions hold, but noted that $20 million per year of that total is earmarked for the state’s “purse” adjustment (about $40 million over two years). Staff emphasized that projected increases in PERS, cost‑of‑living adjustments and step increases could amount to roughly $100 million in additional personnel costs, creating a gap even with the recommended state increase.

Community engagement and key themes Dr. Ella Taylor, chief research officer at Willamette ESD, summarized the district’s engagement process and findings. The district and its partners reported: 6 large fall 2023 community events that drew about 850 attendees, an online spring 2024 survey with more than 6,000 responses, and a fall engagement cycle this year that included roughly 2,100 students, families, staff and community members through focus groups, interviews and surveys. The fall outreach targeted more than 30 state‑required focal groups, she said.

Analysis of responses produced three broad focus areas: sense of belonging, building trust, and eliminating barriers. Subthemes included acceptance, cultural awareness and family engagement; communication and equity; and outdated processes, language and transportation barriers. Dr. Taylor read sample comments recorded in the outreach, including a student sentiment she summarized as: "Students need to feel they belong before they can learn." She also reported that a districtwide Career and Technical Education (CTE) student survey of about 1,200 students found 84% said they feel valued and respected at school.

Strategy priorities The draft plan is organized under three broad strategy groups aligned to the board’s results: PreK–12 academic excellence (third‑grade reading, ninth‑grade on‑track, graduation), student agency and wellness (sense of belonging and attendance), and foundational conditions (data systems, HR/talent management, resource management, facilities planning, and safety/behavior systems). Deputy superintendent-level staff and executives described priority actions including: improving assessment systems, accelerating elementary English language arts curriculum adoption, modernizing data dashboards, addressing hard‑to‑fill positions in HR, advancing master facilities planning and expanding layered safety systems.

Board questions and next steps Board members pressed for details on sampling of focal groups, whether data can be disaggregated for students experiencing poverty or housing instability, and how the district will prioritize an elementary ELA curriculum adoption. Rob Schobert, director of state and federal grants, described targeted outreach to groups such as students served by the McKinney‑Vento program and said the district used a mix of surveys, focus groups and interviews. District leaders said the integrated plan guidance from ODE requires follow‑up with focal groups every two years and that the district intends to use engagement cycles to inform implementation and monitoring.

District leaders said they will return Feb. 25 with a more detailed "click‑level" presentation of strategies and on March 11 will ask the board for final approval so the integrated plan can be submitted to the Oregon Department of Education by the required deadline.

Ending Board members and staff repeatedly framed the work as an alignment effort: pairing a constrained budget outlook with targeted investments in curriculum, assessments and systems so the district can sustain incremental improvements across its five board measures. Several directors emphasized the need to make district data and goals visible and accessible on public dashboards so parents and community partners can align support to the district’s stated priorities.