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Newberg SD 29J urges voters to approve Measure 36-239 to avert staff and program cuts
Summary
A recorded announcement from the Newberg SD 29J says Measure 36-239 would raise about $6.1 million a year for five years to preserve staff, limit class sizes and keep music, art, PE and vocational programs; officials say cuts would follow if voters reject the levy.
A presenter in a recorded announcement for Newberg SD 29J said the district is asking voters to approve Measure 36-239, a five‑year local option levy that would raise approximately $6.1 million annually to address an anticipated $5.7 million budget shortfall and avert planned staff and program reductions.
The presenter highlighted the district’s academic and extracurricular record — citing a reported 92.6% graduation rate for 2024–25, a 17‑point increase in ninth‑grade students on track to graduate, and student performance the presenter described as in the top 15% of Oregon districts on state English language arts and math assessments — before turning to budget pressures. The announcement said the district has eliminated 76.75 administrative and teaching positions over the past two years and shortened the school year by 13 days to reduce costs; the recording did not specify whether the figure “76.75” represents full‑time equivalent positions.
Officials told listeners that the district anticipates eliminating more than 37 positions in 2026–27, including classroom teachers, specialists and support staff serving the district’s 11 schools. The presenter said those reductions would likely cause larger class sizes, blended classrooms, cuts to music, art, PE and vocational programs, and could lead to closure of neighborhood schools.
If approved, Measure 36-239 would raise roughly $6.1 million a year and would be a five‑year levy. The announcement stated the rate is estimated not to exceed $120 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value; using the presenter’s example, a homeowner with a median assessed value of $330,000 would pay about $33 per month, or roughly $396 per year. The presenter said 100% of revenue from the levy would be used for Newberg SD 29J students and described accountability measures that include annual audits, school board oversight and a citizen budget committee with public reporting.
The announcement warned that if Measure 36-239 fails, the previously announced staff and program reductions would proceed and property taxes would not increase. Listeners were directed to newbergschoolslevy.org for more information and reminded to vote by May 19.
The recorded statement used the names “Newberg Dundee” and “Newberg Dundy” in places; the district’s official designation is Newberg SD 29J. The recording did not identify the speaker by name or title; this article attributes the remarks to “Presenter,” the generic label used for the speaker in the recording.
