Salem-Keizer Public Schools Superintendent Andrea Castañeda shares details on budget cuts
Salem-Keizer Public Schools Superintendent Andrea Castañeda released more details about her proposed budget cuts Tuesday night.
Over the past two weeks, Castañeda has made three announcements outlining the cuts, which total about $31 million, in broad terms.
Castañeda said she plans to announce further cuts, of about $40 million, in late winter or spring.
Salem-Keizer Public Schools savings broken down
Here are the previously announced proposals, with a cost breakdown:
Eliminating 46 positions, including seven administrator positions, 29 classified positions and 10 licensed positions. Positions end on June 30, and impacted staff have been notified. The staff reductions are expected to save $5.1 million.
Senior leader salary concessions. Sixty-three district leaders will have their base salaries frozen next year, which is expected to save $272,000. Castañeda also said she personally will donate $30,000 to student and youth-serving organizations in the Salem-Keizer community. Castañeda began working for the district on July 1, and has a base salary of $285,000 per year.
Reducing district purchasing, including investments in technology. This should save $2 million this school year, and $3.7 million next school year.
Suspending the purchase of new district vehicles. This should save $500,000 this school year and $500,000 next year.
Reducing conference travel for programs such as AVID and dual language instruction, for $350,000 in savings.
Reducing the amount of money contributed to a safety cushion for the Public Employees Retirement System debt service account. This is expected to save $6 million this school year and $10 million next school year.
Increasing the fees the community pays to use school facilities, for a savings of $500,000. The district did not reply to a request for more information about the new fees.
Spending less on furniture and playground improvements, for a savings of $1 million this school year and $1 million next school year.
Delaying the opening of planned new career and technical education programs, for a savings of $400,000. The district did not reply to a question about what planned programs will be cut.
Salem-Keizer School District position cuts detailed
The seven administrator position reductions are expected to save a total of $1.5 million. They include:
Curriculum and professional development coordinator
Curriculum coordinator
Human resources director
Planning and property services coordinator
Special education coordinator
Student equity, access and advancement coordinator
Technology supervisor
The 10 licensed position reductions should save $1.3 million. They include:
Federal programs: Program associate (two positions)
Student services: Intake support teacher (0.6 position), instructional mentors (2 positions), registered nurses (5 positions).
The 29 classified position reductions should save $2.3 million. They include:
AVID: Administrative secretary
Curriculum: Instructional technology support
Executive administration: Administrative assistant 2
Language services: Native language specialist (two positions) and translator
Library media: Administrative secretary (three positions)
Student services: Administrative secretary (health services), licensed practical nurse education assistant (nine positions), senior clerical specialist (0.3 position), LRC senior clerical specialist (4.7 positions), special programs bilingual instructional assistant (0.5 position).
Classified staff moved out of the general fund into a different fund (0.5 position).
Why are cuts needed at Salem-Keizer Public Schools?
Salem-Keizer is Oregon’s second-largest school district, with about 38,000 students across 65 elementary, middle and high schools.
Castañeda previously has said the district’s budget gap is due to decreasing enrollment, increases in staff and the end of federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Recently, she also has attributed part of the gap to structural problems with Oregon’s public school funding system, echoing complaints made by Portland Public Schools officials and Gov. Tina Kotek.
The Oregon Legislature approved a record $10.2 billion two-year statewide education budget about five months ago, but some school districts say that’s not enough.
During a school board meeting Tuesday, district employees protested the proposed cuts, saying that they would be devastating for students.
Castañeda had said this first round of cuts would not directly affect students.
“The district chose to cut our Native language specialist, our translators and our licensed practical nurses, all of which are grouped under instructional support, all of which are student facing,” said Edie Buchanan, president of ASK-ESP, the district’s classified worker union.
Several employees noted that cutting five nurse positions would leave only 18 nurses for the entire district.
“That caseload averages out to be almost 3,000 students per nurse,” said Carrie Litchfield, who works in the district’s teen parent program. “Our 23 nurses spend their days scrambling to provide the medical care our students require to be physically able to attend and engage in school.”
Meanwhile, a group of 24 community members, including former Salem-Keizer Public Schools Superintendent Christy Perry and a number of former school board members, wrote an open letter supporting the cuts and the district’s position as it bargains new contracts with both of its employee unions.
“Our schools depend on the state for funding – much as we conduct our household finances, they can only spend as much money as they have in the bank,” the group wrote. “Oregon schools are legally required to pass a balanced budget, and the district simply cannot afford the union’s salary demands.”
Tracy Loew covers the education at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips: tloew@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem-Keizer schools superintendent shares budget cut details
