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Board reviews $8 million Phase 3 budget-reduction options that could affect school staffing and programs
Summary
Staff presented two options to reach an $8 million Phase 3 reduction target: one preserves elementary literacy positions while eliminating some ESSER-funded roles, the other cuts additional high-school staffing and considers a middle-school schedule change. Board members pressed for more detail on unassigned funds and impacts on electives and intervention services.
Superintendent McIntyre and district leaders outlined Phase 3 of the district's budget-reduction process on Sept. 22, explaining why new cuts are needed and presenting two options to reach a remaining target of about $8.0 million.
District presenters said the drivers include flat enrollment, the expiration of federal pandemic-relief funds, rising operating costs, and contract-settlement pressures that exceed the state revenue index. Staff described prior work: Phase 1 and Phase 2 reductions totaled roughly $14 million and focused mainly on central-office and administrative positions to minimize classroom impacts.
Option 1 retains elementary literacy intervention positions while eliminating some ESSER-funded academic-support roles at secondary levels and reducing nonpersonnel central-office budgets. Option 2 aims to better preserve themes the board prioritized — literacy and class-size protection — but includes a larger high-school staffing reallocation (estimated at $1.8 million in Option 2 versus roughly $1.13 million in Option 1) and other trade-offs. Presenters also discussed a possible middle-school schedule change from seven to six periods to protect class-size but warned it would reduce elective availability and change teacher workload and prep models.
Board members asked for clearer breakdowns of the district's unassigned funds (the larger pool from which PK–12 allocations are drawn), urged staff to present precise impacts on electives and required courses, and sought assurances that school principals' input would guide final recommendations. Directors repeatedly emphasized a priority to avoid deep cuts to literacy and to preserve student supports where possible.
Staff said the district will hold community forums and an online survey starting the next day and will bring any revisions to the Oct. 27 board meeting, with final recommendations expected at the Dec. 8 meeting when the board will also finalize the FY27 budget.
What happens next: staff will refine options with principals, provide more detailed line-item breakdowns on the unassigned funds, conduct community engagement, and return to the board with revised recommendations and potential staffing impacts before the Dec. 8 approval window.
