Eugene 4J School District announced the second, and most significant wave of planned cuts Wednesday, approximately $18 million in academic programs and support.
Superintendent Miriam Mickelson has proposed scaling back summer school, college readiness and some online programs to help close a $30 million gap.
During Wednesday’s meeting, she said the district also proposed consolidation of many administrator and non-classroom jobs and reducing support services provided to teachers.
"We are keeping front and center the people behind every budget line item - their passion, their purpose, their livelihood and their impact on our students," Mickelson said. “I just want to reiterate how difficult these reductions are and acknowledge the very real human weight that they carry.”
The School Board is scheduled to vote on whether to grant Mickelson the authority to make those reductions next week. The district confirmed that action would authorize her to eliminate up to 159 total jobs, which includes 32 previously- announced administrative level job cuts, 72 classified jobs and 55 licensed positions.
Eugene 4J spokesperson Kelly McIver said the district anticipates it will not need to eliminate the total number of jobs it has asked for authorization to cut.
The district has previously said this year’s budget challenges are caused by declining enrollment and rising costs, including the state’s retirement system. In an interview in December, Mickelson said she hoped large reductions this year will lead to long-term stability, and much smaller cuts in future years.
The unions representing many of the workers impacted by budget cuts urged caution Wednesday, including Eugene Education Association President Jamie Myers. She said many employees are already struggling with anxiety about a potential job loss, or worry about how they will support students with less resources next year.
“The reality of displacements and layoffs is that every staff member will be impacted,” Myers said. “Friends will move buildings, teams will be disrupted and morale is already at a low point.”
The President of the Oregon School Employees Association, Sarah Wofford, also attended the meeting to advocate on behalf of classified workers. She asked the superintendent and school board to use empathy and care when considering what to cut and not take the services they provide for granted.
“Students were picked up, food was [served], internet was provided, small reading groups, special education, these are your classified workers,” she said.
Mickelson already announced the elimination of three assistant superintendents last month as well as cuts to technology and contracts.
She will present classroom level cuts on Jan. 21. An authorization vote for those cuts is scheduled Feb. 4. That's when Mickelson will also discussion potential changes to Family School, which the district previously considered shuttering to help close the budget gap.
