Budget cut announcements for the 2026-27 school year in Eugene School District 4J have begun, and so have community pleas for mercy.
In the first of three presentations planned to address the district’s $30 million shortfall, Superintendent Miriam Mickelson, at the Wednesday, Dec. 10, school board meeting, outlined an initial $2.3 million in recommended cuts. She also asked the board to authorize her Phase Two personnel cuts, the majority of which are managers and administrators.
The 4J district is facing a large budget gap due to declining enrollment, rising employee costs, the end of COVID-era relief money and past use of reserves to delay bigger cuts. The school board put Mickelson’s phased approach in motion Wednesday and heard angst about planned cuts at the classroom and school level that are expected to be presented in January.
The first round of cuts
The superintendent’s presentation broke down how much the district will cut from different categories of nonpersonnel costs and executive-level positions:
- Technology subscriptions ($252,417): This would end contracts with platforms like Thought Exchange, a forum for public discussion; Seesaw, an elementary digital learning platform; and Rosetta Stone, a language learning platform used for English language learning.
- Professional development ($500,000): Professional development spending for teachers will be reduced and paused for managers and administrators. Professional opportunities for curriculum development will still be prioritized, Mickelson said.
- School discretionary budget ($220,000): Each school’s discretionary budget will be reduced.
- Professional service contracts ($32,762): This would include reductions in spending toward contracted services, including investigations, job reviews and coaching.
- Department reductions ($407,250): This would include materials and services in the district office.
- Staffing and stipend reductions ($893,525): This includes the cutting three assistant superintendents, which Mickelson announced earlier in the fall, and unemployment pay for staff who are laid off.
Mickelson said all budget cuts are considered through the lens of the district’s values and that staff and community input are taken into account…