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MICHAEL DUNNE: I’m Michael Dunne. Oregon has been a growth state for so long that it’s sometimes easy to forget our population has hit a stagnation point. Part of that issue is that birth rates in Oregon have been declining, and that drop is now showing up in lower enrollment in our schools. Locally, all of our school districts are feeling that decline through strapped budgets. Fewer students means fewer dollars from the state.
Today on the show, we check in with the education reporter at The Register-Guard to talk about the budget challenges facing the Springfield School District and the pushback board members and administrators are getting from angry students and parents. Then, in the last part of the show, we’ll check in with our own Love Cross, who is launching a new series about emergency preparedness.
Miranda Cyr covers education for The Register-Guard. Miranda, it’s always great to see you. Thanks for coming in.
MIRANDA CYR: Thanks for having me again.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Why don’t you give us an overview of what’s going on with Springfield Public Schools and their budget challenges?
MIRANDA CYR: There’s a lot happening in Springfield Public Schools right now on several levels. The most immediate issue is recent layoffs caused by necessary budget cuts. The district was facing a $2.34 million shortfall.
Like many districts across Oregon and the country, Springfield is dealing with declining enrollment. Over the past 10 years, the district has lost about 2,000 students, roughly 17% of its enrollment. That’s a significant number.
The district says this led to layoffs of 27 full-time equivalent positions, which go into effect at the end of this week. There are also an additional 4.5 cuts to unfilled positions, which makes the total impact a bit more complicated.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Some people might think that fewer students simply means you don’t need as much money. But it’s obviously not that simple. Less enrollment means less funding from the state, right?
MIRANDA CYR: Exactly. The Oregon Department of Education uses a funding formula based largely on enrollment. If enrollment is down everywhere, it can balance out somewhat, but Lane County districts are declining faster than many others in the state.
On top of that, costs are rising across the board. Everything is more expensive. And educators tell me that in the post-COVID era, students have greater social and emotional needs, which require additional support in classrooms. Those supports also come with costs.
MICHAEL DUNNE: You’ve written extensively about declining enrollment. What’s driving it?
MIRANDA CYR: Birth rates are the biggest driver. Oregon — and the U.S. overall — has a birth rate below replacement level. Population growth here is largely coming from migration, which doesn’t always include families with children.
Housing costs in Lane County are also very high, and local officials have told me that makes it difficult for families to live here long term.
MICHAEL DUNNE: One of your earlier stories noted that Springfield announced layoffs midyear, which is unusual. Why did that happen?
MIRANDA CYR: It surprised a lot of people, including the Springfield Education Association and community members. The district explained that the midyear layoffs were tied to collective bargaining.
When the board adopted the budget for the 2025–26 school year — I believe in June 2025 — it assumed a 0% cost-of-living adjustment, even though bargaining was already underway. The district’s most recent offer included a 4% COLA, which required tradeoffs. According to the district, that meant layoffs midyear.
The district laid out a timeline showing when this was communicated to the union. The union disputes how clear that communication was, so there’s tension there.
MICHAEL DUNNE: You’ve also reported on growing tension at board meetings. What’s happening there?
MIRANDA CYR: There’s been a lot of tension, both in public and executive sessions. Several formal complaints have been filed against board members, which is relatively uncommon — especially multiple complaints in a short period.
Some of those complaints were filed by district leadership, including Human Resources Director Dustin Reese and Superintendent Todd Hamilton. Most of the complaints involve board member Jonathan Light, as well as Ken Cole and Amber Langworthy. District leaders have said some board members are acting outside policy or overstepping administrative authority.
MICHAEL DUNNE: How did the board vote on the layoffs?
MIRANDA CYR: The vote was split. Board members Ken Cole, Nicole De Graff and Heather Quass-Ansa voted in favor of the layoffs. Jonathan Light and Amber Langworthy voted against them.
There’s now a recall effort targeting the three members who supported the layoffs. That effort is being led by Ky Fireside, who is running for state representative in John Lively’s seat, and Devin Lawson, who previously ran for the Lane Community College Board.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Walk us through what happens next. How do these cuts roll out through the rest of the school year?
MIRANDA CYR: The layoffs take effect Jan. 31, right at the semester break. For the 27 staff members who were laid off, this week is their last in the classroom.
Beyond that, teachers are being reassigned to fill gaps left by the layoffs. I spoke with a teacher at A3, Springfield’s alternative high school, who is being moved to Hamlin Middle School with very little notice. They told me they’ve been at A3 for 10 years and have never worked at Hamlin. Their students are devastated. Many students and staff are being deeply affected.
MICHAEL DUNNE: What’s morale like among educators right now?
MIRANDA CYR: Union leaders say morale was already low and this made it worse. There was a vigil last week mourning the loss of laid-off staff, with about 100 people in attendance.
Educators are frustrated and confused. Many feel there wasn’t enough communication or opportunity to explore alternatives. There’s also a community petition called the Springfield Bridge Plan that proposes alternatives to layoffs, though at this point it seems unlikely to change the outcome.
MICHAEL DUNNE: You’ve written about a lottery system used in layoffs. How does that work?
MIRANDA CYR: Oregon law requires that layoffs for budget reasons not be treated as “for cause.” So districts can’t simply choose individual teachers.
Instead, layoffs are based on start dates — the first day a teacher entered the classroom. Many teachers share the same start date, so those names are placed into a randomized lottery. As a result, the impact spans a wide range of staff. Many of the affected positions were at the middle school level.
MICHAEL DUNNE: You also cover Eugene’s 4J district. Are Springfield’s challenges unique?
MIRANDA CYR: The issues are similar, but the scale is very different. Eugene 4J is facing about a $30 million shortfall, compared with Springfield’s $2.34 million. 4J is considering cutting up to 269 FTE positions, versus 27 in Springfield.
Across Lane County — Springfield, 4J, the University of Oregon — educators are losing jobs. It raises questions about the future of education here.
Springfield has not discussed school closures, to my knowledge. Bethel is considering closing Shasta Middle School. 4J isn’t closing schools but is co-locating Camas Ridge Community School and Family School, which has also generated controversy.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Does enrollment eventually bounce back, or is this the new reality?
MIRANDA CYR: Based on what researchers at Portland State University’s Population Research Center told me, there’s no rebound expected soon. We’re at what’s often called the “enrollment cliff,” affecting recent and upcoming graduating classes.
From here, enrollment is projected to continue declining, which will impact higher education even more severely. Enrollment and tuition are make-or-break for colleges and universities, including the University of Oregon and Lane Community College.
MICHAEL DUNNE: She covers education for The Register-Guard. Miranda Cyr, thank you for your reporting and for coming on the show.
MIRANDA CYR: Thanks.
MICHAEL DUNNE: She’s the voice of morning radio in Western and Central Oregon. Today, she’s the voice of emergency preparedness. Love Cross joins us now. Love, it’s great to see you. Thanks for coming in.
LOVE CROSS: Thanks for having me, Michael.
MICHAEL DUNNE: In Oregon, we have to prepare for a lot — wildfires, floods, ice storms, and of course, the Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. Tell us about Oregon Ready and why you wanted to take this on.
LOVE CROSS: At its core, the series is about taking small steps to be better prepared for any disaster. Preparedness can feel intimidating and overwhelming.
In Oregon, we talk a lot about being “two weeks ready,” because after a major disaster it could take that long for help to arrive. I realized I wasn’t two weeks ready myself, and I wanted to understand what helps people move from intention to action.
Each month, we’ll explore a different aspect of preparedness — go bags, pet planning, neighborhood support and more. I’m inviting KLCC listeners and readers to join me in this journey. It’s about learning together, not lecturing.
MICHAEL DUNNE: What does “two weeks ready” actually mean?
LOVE CROSS: It means having enough supplies, information and planning to support yourself and your household for about two weeks — food, water, medications, cash and a plan for evacuation or sheltering in place. It’s not about fear; it’s about buying time in a crisis.
MICHAEL DUNNE: You’ve admitted you’re not fully prepared yet.
LOVE CROSS: That’s right. During the 2024 ice storm, my family was fine — we had power, food and warmth — but that won’t always be the case.
When I started talking to people, many admitted they felt the same way. Preparedness can feel like a personal failing, but I see it as a systems issue. We’re busy and overwhelmed, and it’s hard to know where to start.
For the series, I spoke with Jenny Demaris, an emergency management specialist with Eugene Water & Electric Board. She was Lincoln County’s emergency manager for 12 years — and even she admits procrastination plays a role.
RECORDING OF JENNY DEMARIS: I’ll use myself as an example. I bought a new car this year. Does it have everything I need in my emergency kit? No, it does not. I have water and an extra jacket, but no extra food. I realized recently I don’t even have a hat in my car.
Give yourself some grace. Keep moving forward a little at a time. It may take 12 or 14 months to feel ready, and that’s OK. The more you do, the better prepared you are.
LOVE CROSS: That message — giving yourself grace — is so important. Any step toward preparedness is better than doing nothing.
MICHAEL DUNNE: This series really helps people figure out where to start.
LOVE CROSS: Exactly. EWEB has a 12-month program called Pledge to Prepare, which breaks preparedness into monthly steps. January focuses on three days of food and water. February adds more supplies and looks at alternative heat and cooking sources.
Breaking it into increments made it feel manageable. I heard the same thing from people who attended an information session, and I’ll be sharing their voices too.
MICHAEL DUNNE: What’s something you’ve learned already?
LOVE CROSS: When more people can take care of themselves, first responders can focus on those who are elderly, medically vulnerable or displaced. Preparedness isn’t just personal — it’s an act of community care.
MICHAEL DUNNE: What’s one small step someone can take today?
LOVE CROSS: Take inventory of what you already have. Most people are closer than they think. Even knowing where your flashlight and important documents are is a great start. Campers often already have many supplies — it’s just about organizing them.
MICHAEL DUNNE: How can people get involved?
LOVE CROSS: I hope KLCC listeners and readers will follow along at KLCC.org. I welcome questions and ideas at questions@klcc.org. Tune in to Morning Edition tomorrow for the first story in the series.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Count me in. Love, it’s always great to talk with you. Thanks for coming in.
LOVE CROSS: Thanks for having me, Michael.
MICHAEL DUNNE: That’s the show for today. All episodes of Oregon On The Record are available as a podcast at KLCC.org.
Tomorrow on the show, Oregon’s new WNBA team doesn’t have a roster yet, but it does have a schedule. We’ll talk with OPB’s Kyra Buckley about the excitement around the Portland Fire.
Before we go, a correction: In a Monday episode discussing Eugene 4J’s budget, a KLCC reporter inaccurately described students as being placed in Family School. Family School is a choice school that offers increased parent involvement and alternative learning styles.
I’m Michael Dunne, host of Oregon On The Record. Thanks for listening.
