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Forest Grove board authorizes up to 51 FTE reductions to stop multi‑year deficit
Summary
Facing declining enrollment and repeated state funding adjustments, Forest Grove School District leaders proposed cutting up to 51 full‑time equivalent positions (27 licensed, 21 classified, one confidential and up to two administrators) to close a projected $4.6 million general‑fund shortfall; the board voted to authorize implementation effective June 30, 2026.
The Forest Grove School District board on April 14 authorized the superintendent to implement a reduction in force that could cut up to 51 full‑time equivalent positions as the district tries to halt multi‑year deficit spending.
District staff told the budget committee and then the full board that the general fund is under structural pressure: budget figures presented by the district business officer showed a beginning fund balance of about $15 million, budgeted revenue of roughly $89 million and expenditures of about $97 million. Staff said vacancy savings and higher local interest earnings helped raise a projected year‑end balance to about $10.5 million — approximately 11 percent of expenditures — but that the district is still spending down reserves.
“We are still in deficit spending,” Eileen, the district business officer, said during the presentation. She told trustees the budget includes an estimated $3.1 million in labor and benefit savings this year from vacancies and turnover, but added that ongoing state adjustments and changes in the teacher experience ratio reduced state funding by several hundred thousand dollars.
Why cuts now: district leaders warned trustees that if the district does not act the shortfall will compound. Superintendent Dr. West summarized the rationale before the vote: the district projects several more years of declining enrollment, state school‑fund adjustments remain volatile, and continuing to draw down reserves risks pushing the district into an emergency mid‑year reduction or worse.
Dr. West said the recommended plan would be implemented as of June 30, 2026, if approved. “This reduction is being proposed to lift us out of deficit spending,” she said, and added that staff would use attrition and vacancies to minimize layoffs where possible.
The proposal included a breakdown of the 51 proposed FTE reductions: 27 licensed positions, 21 classified positions, one confidential position and two administrative positions, presented as approximate maximums. District staff also showed the proposed percentage reductions by employee group — roughly 6.7 percent for licensed staff and 7.2 percent for classified staff — and noted that about 87 percent of FTE reductions would fall at the school level, because 91 percent of the district’s current FTE are school assigned.
Several staff and community members urged the board to prioritize student‑facing support and mental‑health services. “These cuts will have a direct and lasting impact on our students and our schools,” Erica Essen, vice president of the Forest Grove Education Association, said in public comment, calling for clearer communication and collaboration on staffing decisions. Multiple classroom teachers and counselors asked trustees to preserve counseling services, small‑group instruction and extracurriculars.
Board action: after discussion the board moved to authorize the superintendent to implement the reductions (motion text recorded in the meeting). The motion passed on a roll‑call vote recorded in the transcript with board members voting in favor. The district recorded the vote by name on the floor of the meeting.
What happens next: if the board’s authorization is implemented, district staff said they will first pursue voluntary retirements and placement of affected employees into vacancies. The district also said it is planning for the reductions to preserve a minimum policy floor (the district’s policy requires an 8 percent floor in ending fund balance) and to stabilize finances so the budget can be rebalanced without emergency mid‑year cuts.
Community reaction and next steps: union and staff speakers at the meeting urged the district to continue to seek alternatives and to protect counselors and interventions. Trustees and staff repeatedly framed the reductions as a painful but necessary step to preserve long‑term fiscal stability. Dr. West said the district will continue to press state lawmakers for relief on unfunded mandates and to explore ways to increase local enrollment capture, including programs and messaging targeted at families.
The board authorized the reductions on April 14; implementation steps, including formal notices, placement attempts and any retirement incentives, will follow the district’s negotiated timelines and applicable contract provisions.
