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Newberg SD 29J budget committee hears $5.7 million shortfall; staff and program reductions proposed
Summary
Superintendent Dave Parker told the Newberg School District 29J budget committee on April 7 that the district faces a $5.7 million gap for 2026–27 driven by enrollment declines, rising labor and benefit costs, and unfunded state mandates. The administration outlined reductions including staff FTE trims, program changes and four furlough days and asked the committee for follow-up figures at a May 5 meeting.
At a budget committee meeting on April 7, 2026, Newberg School District 29J Superintendent Dave Parker and CFO Nathan (Nate) Rodell presented a proposed 2026–27 budget that shows a $5.7 million shortfall and lays out a package of staffing and program reductions to close the gap.
Parker framed the district’s situation within a statewide context, saying that although total state funding has increased in recent biennia the state has not funded the Quality Education Model (QEM) target. He told the committee that the combination of declining enrollment, rising labor and benefits costs, and unfunded mandates—citing Paid Leave Oregon and new course-credit requirements tied to a recent bill—has left the district with a structural deficit.
The administration’s proposal includes a class-size-driven staffing plan and programmatic adjustments intended to realize the $5.7 million savings. Parker said the district has already reduced roughly 76.75 positions over the past two years and…
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