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North Marion SD 15 board authorizes superintendent to begin reduction in force as district eyes furlough days amid $2.8M shortfall
Summary
Faced with an estimated $2.8 million gap next year driven by declining enrollment and rising PERS costs, the North Marion SD 15 board authorized the superintendent to conduct a reduction in force and discussed negotiating two furlough days with staff associations to reduce costs.
The North Marion SD 15 school board voted to authorize the superintendent to conduct a reduction in force as part of efforts to close an estimated $2.8 million budget gap for the 2025–26 school year.
At the meeting, the district business manager (speaker 6) told the board the governor’s biennial school-fund estimate leaves the district “2,800,000.0 short for next year,” citing declining enrollment and rising PERS obligations as the primary drivers. The business manager said the district has lost more than 400 students since earlier years and faces about $1.3 million in increased PERS costs.
Superintendent (speaker 4) framed the RIF authorization as a necessary, if difficult, tool to balance the budget. “I’m requesting that you, vote to authorize me to conduct a reduction in force as part of the reduction process for the 2025–26 school year,” the superintendent said, noting the board’s oversight role and the district’s plan to notify affected employees as soon as possible.
Board members pressed for transparency and timelines. The administration said it will finalize seniority lists, confirm licensure and bilingual qualifications, and send lists to unions by Feb. 24 so retained-staff notifications could occur as early as March 7. The business manager also said the district plans to freeze most purchase orders on March 21, with exceptions for grant-funded spending and student-body funds.
To reduce personnel impacts, administration proposed negotiating two furlough days with employee associations, an action staff and board members said could save roughly $170,000–$175,000. The proposal under discussion would include one day likely scheduled the Friday before Memorial Day and another to be used for inclement-weather make-up or a scheduled closure; doing so would require a calendar adjustment.
Board members expressed mixed views about furloughs but signaled conditional support if associations agree. One board member said she preferred to avoid losing student contact days and would support furloughs only if they did not reduce instructional time. Another called the furloughs “a bit of a band-aid” but acknowledged they could help soften staffing reductions.
The board authorized the superintendent’s request by voice vote. The superintendent and administration emphasized negotiations with unions will be required before any unilateral changes are implemented, and that staff reductions would proceed in phases if needed.
Next steps: administration will continue negotiations with associations, finalize staff-seniority lists, and return to the board as new information becomes available. The board then moved into a brief recess before an executive session to consider exempt personnel records.
