Board hears staffing plan for 2026–27: earlier site engagement, modest class‑size reductions and four 'hot spot' FTE
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
HR Director Dave Lourdes previewed the 2026–27 staffing process: earlier enrollment modeling and site engagement, a proposal to lower K–5 class‑size targets by one with four district 'hot spot' FTE, and a 0.5 reduction at 6–12 that yields a small increase in middle/high‑school teachers. The board discussed teacher feedback timing and potential revised budgets.
Dave Lourdes, executive director of human resources, walked the board through the district’s staffing timeline and proposed changes for 2026–27. He emphasized earlier site visits and a "shift left" approach to enrollment modeling that brings principals and department leaders into the staffing conversation earlier in the cycle.
Key calendar items: staff must submit retirement and leave notices by Feb. 1; staffing guidelines are finalized and distributed in March; positions for licensed staff are posted over spring break; and budget approvals typically occur in June, with a revised budget available later in the year if staffing needs change.
Lourdes proposed modest class‑size target changes to be reflected in the 2026–27 proposed budget: a reduction of one student in K–5 targets (offset in part by deploying four district‑level 'hot spot' FTE to buildings where growth or special needs emerge) and a 0.5 reduction in secondary targets (estimated to add a couple of middle‑school teachers and roughly three high‑school FTE). Board members asked how teacher and principal feedback is gathered and whether feedback could be incorporated earlier; Lourdes said teacher input typically flows through principals and that timing must be coordinated with renewal/nonrenewal notifications and other HR processes.
Board members also discussed the budget implications if actual enrollment exceeds projections. Lourdes and other administrators said the board approves a preliminary budget that reflects staffing assumptions; if unexpected growth or vacancy patterns require additional hires, the district can bring a revised budget back to the board or use efficiencies to cover incremental needs. The HR team flagged a new Minnesota paid‑leave policy (state FMLPS) as likely to increase substitute costs and HR workload, though the total fiscal impact is still being quantified.
No formal board action was taken; staff will continue enrollment updates, enhancement‑request reviews and principal conversations ahead of the spring staffing cycle.