La Grande School District could face a budget shortfall

Feb. 9—LA GRANDE — La Grande School District officials are watching the state Legislature closely as it determines the level of funding public schools will be provided in the 2023-25 biennium.

The best-case scenario will be that the state will provide an education budget of $10.3 billion for the 2023-25 biennium, La Grande School District Superintendent George Mendoza said at a meeting of the La Grande School Board at Greenwood Elementary School on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Mendoza said a $10.3 billion budget would allow the school district to maintain all of its staff and programs in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years.

"We need that," Mendoza said. "At $10.3 billion there would be no impact."

He said the school district would be able to maintain its staff and programs at that level of funding despite falling enrollment. The La Grande School District's enrollment is down about 200 students since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which hurts the school district's budget since the state provides at least $8,000 per student.

Mendoza said the funding share La Grande would receive from a $10.3 billion state education budget, combined with federal COVID-19 funding the school district still has, would allow the district to avoid making any reductions in the 2023-2025 biennium.

The bad news is that presently the proposed education budget that has the most support in the Legislature is $9.9 billion. Mendoza however said he is optimistic that this is not the budget the Legislature will approve.

"Many people believe there is a good chance this will increase," the superintendent said.

A $9.9 billion budget, Mendoza said, would force the school district to make reductions. The first, which would be made for 2023-24, would be made by not hiring people to fill positions that are open because of retirement or resignations, said Michelle Glover, the La Grande School District's budget director.

Glover estimates, though, that in 2024-25 cuts would have to be made that would involve laying off some employees, including teachers.

Construction project

The status of the La Grande School District's new academic and athletic center building was also discussed at the Feb. 8 meeting. Work on the building, which will be just north of La Grande Middle School, is set to start after this school year ends on Wednesday, June 7.

"The contractor will start setting up the site as soon as school is out," said Joseph Waite, the La Grande School District's facilities manager.

The Mike Becker General Contractor company of Union County is the general contractor for the building project.

The new structure will replace the school district's aging Annex gym building. The Annex is connected to the school district's old shop building, which will also be removed.

Demolition of the shop building will be conducted this summer, and the Annex gym building will be removed in the summer of 2024, Waite said.

The school district's construction budget for the multi-purpose building is $8 million. This money will be provided by a $4.845 million bond levy that voters approved in May, and a $4 million Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching program grant the school district will receive from the state.

A portion of the bond and matching grant funds will also be used to pay for the removal of the Annex gym and the shop building. The funds will also be used for the school district's move of its shop facilities to a building at 1805 Adams Ave. now named The Plant and Operations Center. The school district's move into that building will be completed soon.

"We should be fully operational by spring break," said Waite, referring to the week-long break at the end of March.

Naming process

The school district is now in the process of deciding on a name for the athletic and academic center. A naming committee made up of school district staff, board members, parents and students is now collecting recommendations, many of which are being submitted by people filling out nomination forms on the school district's website.

The naming committee will later pick what its members believe are the five best names and submit them to the school district's Bond Oversight Committee, which will narrow the list to three and submit it to the school board. The board will make the final decision on the building's official name.

Modulars

Also on Feb. 8 the school board voted to sell the modular buildings at La Grande Middle School to the Grants Pass School District for $1 each. The modulars have two classrooms each, currently being used for special education classes and LMS math classes. The modulars will not be needed by the La Grande School District once the academic and athletic center is finished since it will have six classrooms, Waite said.

Each modular is more than 20 years old.

The Grants Pass School District will have a two-week period this summer to remove the modulars, Waite said.

Dick Mason is a reporter with The Observer. Contact him at 541-624-6016 or dmason@lagrandeobserver.com.