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Students raise class‑cut rumors; Lake Oswego SD 7J leaders urge careful forecasting amid $10 million reductions
Summary
Students and families raised rumors about elective cuts; district leaders said no final decisions on electives will be made until forecasting for next year is complete and urged accurate student forecasting.
Students, parents and staff raised concerns about rumors that budget cuts could eliminate elective classes next year, and district leaders told the board that definitive decisions about which electives will run will not be made until student forecasting and sectioning are complete.
Several students and other audience members described mixed information circulating among teachers, principals and students about which teachers and classes might be cut. One student said forecasts and informal reports differed between staff members and left many students “really confused.”
Board members and staff responded that forecasting is the primary driver of staffing decisions for electives. A staff member said some classes with very low enrollment (for example, courses with roughly 10 students) are difficult to run financially and that district leaders must balance sections across subject areas; the staff member added that core classes are largely set but elective sections depend on confirmed forecasts.
The board noted the district faces a $10,000,000 reduction and said that reality will tighten flexibility: “we are cutting $10,000,000 and so those two things are going to be competing realities,” a board member said. At the same time, a board member told students the district intends to provide classes students want and will attempt to build staffing around confirmed forecasts.
Staff and a board member recommended that students and parents take forecasting seriously, consult course catalogs and counselors, and forecast for the classes they intend to take. The board said forecasting will determine whether small elective sections run and explained that some advanced courses can be accessed through college partners (Portland Community College, Clackamas Community College or university partners) when appropriate.
Speakers said the district will try to offer alternate pathways if a particular elective cannot be staffed, and they encouraged continued communication to reduce rumors and anxiety.
