Garfield superintendent outlines staffing restructuring to close multimillion-dollar gap; administrators defend software and anatomy-table purchases

The Garfield Board of Education heard a detailed fiscal update from the superintendent about plans to restructure staffing and preserve programs after federal and district resources fell short. The superintendent said the district confronted “a perfect storm” of higher health-care and energy costs, the end of temporary COVID-era funding and growing special-education enrollments that together require changes to staffing and transfers to avoid a deficit.

The superintendent told the board the district was working to avoid layoffs of tenured teachers and would prioritize maintaining programs: “No tenured teacher was affected,” he said, adding that some non-tenured positions would not be renewed to balance the budget. He also warned that a projected 40–45% rise in health-insurance costs would again put the district at risk next year without state relief: “If that does happen…we’re here again next year.”

Nut graf: The administration presented a package of nonrenewals, transfers and program restructuring meant to save nearly $4 million this year, while promising to preserve core student programs. Administrators and the business office said the moves are recommendations from the superintendent driven by enrollment and budget constraints; public commenters pressed for transparency about which staff would or would not return.

During public comment, a resident who identified herself as from Harlem Unit 7 criticized the board for approving a merit raise while moving to nonrenew some employees and questioned new supervisory roles at central office. Danielle Marcello, another resident, said she could not reconcile the district’s reported savings with the personnel changes and asked whether projected insurance increases and a reported $3.5 million carryover had been correctly factored: “I’m doing some back of the napkin math here, and I’m coming up short,” she said.

Administrators responded that lists presented for approval show only employees being renewed, and that nonrenewal of non-tenured staff is not the same as a formal reduction-in-force: “Non-tenured individuals…their contract is…an end date,” the administrator said, explaining that the board does not vote on nonrenewals in the same way it votes on active midyear terminations. The administrator also said two positions in the business office would be eliminated as part of the restructuring.

On special education, the superintendent stressed that rising outplacements and newly registered students are driving costs: sending a student to a high-tuition placement returns greater tuition revenue to a district than serving that student in-district, he said, which constrains local funding choices. He urged the board and community to seek state action on health-benefit relief and described continuing efforts to “revamp” MTSS (multi-tiered systems of supports) to combine interventionists and services.

The board also heard questions about technology and curriculum tools cited in the renewal and procurement items. Administrators clarified that Partheon is a software platform to replace an older IEP/MTSS tracking tool (RealTime/Edge Climber), not classroom teachers: “Partheon is not replacing teachers,” the administrator said, describing it as a pilot that integrates MTSS and IEP documentation and will cost the district approximately $5 per student next year after professional-development costs covered by Title funds. The purchase of Anatomage (anatomy) tables was described as federally funded through Title carryover and therefore having “zero effect” on the 2026–27 local tax levy if approved this year.

The meeting record shows the board approved personnel and finance resolutions with multiple individual recuses and abstentions on specific numbered items; administrators said some entries in the personnel grid were placeholders during the restructuring process and that final assignments and locations would be clarified after approvals.

Ending: The superintendent asked the community for patience as administrators and building leaders continue schedule formulation, registration and placement work over the summer to prepare for the 2026–27 school year.