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Poudre School District halts formal RIF process but warns roughly 250 positions remain at risk as budget outlook shifts
Summary
Superintendent Kingsley said the district discontinued the formal reduction-in-force process after staff placements were found for continuing-contract teachers, but Chief of Staff Dr. Lauren Hutton told the board about roughly 250 positions still impacted by budget reductions. Budget staff outlined enrollment declines and hold-harmless funding that make multi-year planning uncertain.
The Poudre School District R-1 board heard on April 14 that district leaders have discontinued the formal reduction-in-force (RIF) process they authorized at an earlier meeting but that substantial job impacts remain while the district adjusts to enrollment and formula changes.
"The district has formally discontinued the reduction in force process that the board authorized," Chief of Staff Dr. Lauren Hutton told the board, adding that HR and principals were able to place continuing-contract teachers for next year. "That outcome, while positive, is not necessarily positive for everyone in our system. There is significant job loss that is coming with the budget reductions that we are facing, with approximately 250 individuals being impacted for next year."
The RIF update followed an extensive budget presentation from Budget Director Brian Gustafson and Chief Financial Officer Dave Montoya that framed the district’s planning assumptions. Gustafson said the district is modeling a decline in funded pupil counts that will require adjustments: "We are building a budget based on 654 fewer FTE," he said, and noted a funded-pupil projection that could translate to about 762 fewer funded pupils as averaging periods shorten.
Gustafson and Montoya explained how the phased implementation of the 2024 School Finance Act and a "hold harmless" funding calculation mean PSD’s total program funding for fiscal 2026–27 may be closer to this year’s level than simple per‑pupil calculations would suggest. That interaction creates a one-time gap the district must treat carefully, Gustafson said, and complicates decisions about recurring spending.
Board members pushed for clarity on mitigation steps. One director asked whether numbers from charter schools — which can change the district’s total program allocation — would be available in time for the preliminary budget; Gustafson said charter submissions are expected and that he should be able to report back by the next meeting. Several members also pressed staff on reserve levels and how one-time hold-harmless dollars should be used rather than building recurring commitments on temporary funding.
Superintendent Kingsley praised the HR, principals and the RIF committee for placement work and acknowledged the difficulty ahead. "This outcome... is not positive for everyone in our system," he said, reiterating the human impact of budget adjustments.
Next steps: the district plans to release a preliminary budget by April 28 and present the proposed budget for adoption before June 30. The board was told the legislative session runs through mid-May, and state-level actions (including possible rescissions or policy changes) could still alter projections.
