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Tigard‑Tualatin superintendent warns of up to $5.5 million shortfall; board hears plea for fairer classified pay
Summary
Superintendent told the board a drop in the district’s state funding share and enrollment could widen a projected deficit to roughly $5.5 million, prompting discussion of vacancy savings, program cuts and possible layoffs; a public commenter urged changes to how COLAs are distributed for classified staff.
The Tigard‑Tualatin School District superintendent told the school board the district’s share of state Average Daily Membership fell from 2.01% to 1.95%, and that combined with declining enrollment and rising costs could push a projected $3 million shortfall toward about $5.5 million.
That shortfall estimate came during the superintendent’s budget update, which cited lower‑than‑expected state revenue projections and long‑running pressures such as PERS rate increases, higher insurance costs and enrollment declines. The superintendent said the district will use vacancy savings and other spending freezes to reduce near‑term costs and that modest staffing‑ratio adjustments could save “up to $1.5 million” in staffing expenses for grades 3–5. He added that a reduction in force is “probable” and that staff will return with updates as the state budget picture clarifies.
Board members pressed for more detail. Director C framed the state forecast and demographer numbers that underlie the district’s modeling, noting the district used a low forecast after fall counts fell short of earlier estimates (the district had used a middle forecast of about 11,025 students but reported 10,738 enrolled in fall counts). The presentation tied a change in the district’s percentage share to an estimated $5.4 million swing in state school fund revenue.
Public comment put an equity frame on the choices. Danielle Marino, a district resident who identified her zip code, urged the board to “rethink how cost‑of‑living adjustments are given,” saying a flat percentage increase benefits higher earners far more in dollars than lower‑paid classified staff. Marino cited figures she said came from district materials: 565 classified employees district‑wide, a turnover rate she described as “over 70% in just 3½ years,” and that 394 of the 565 had been hired within that period. She argued that the district’s offer (described in public comment as $1.7 million over three years for 565 classified staff) and the fact that 60 administrators received a larger total COLA undermined retention for lower‑paid workers.
Board members acknowledged the concern and asked staff for a reduction plan that could be presented at a future meeting. One director called for a clear, public‑facing reduction plan that lays out options and anticipated impacts so the community and employees can prepare. The superintendent and finance staff said they would return with more specific scenarios and timing once state numbers are final.
What’s next: staff will continue contract negotiations and budget modeling and present a formal reduction plan or set of options to the board at a future meeting; no formal reductions were adopted that night.
