Proposed school budget would cut three school days

Newberg School Superintendent Kym LeBlanc-Esparza submitted a $52,600,615 general fund budget that falls $1.3 million short of funding needed to support current service levels.

Oregon’s looming budget deficit requires school districts to make revenue estimates based on guesswork as schools must finalize budgets before they find out how much money they will receive from the state. The Newberg budget is based on an assumption that the state will spend $8.1 billion on K-12 education in the 2017-19 biennium, however it may be July before actual figures are known.

Superintendent LeBlanc-Esparza explained to the district’s citizen Budget Committee that Newberg needs $53,999,615 to fund the current level of service. This includes $3.775 million in “roll up” costs which contains:

  • $1.8 million in increased PERS costs
  • $1.285 million in contractual salary and benefit costs
  • $125,000 for tuition reimbursement
  • $25,000 musical instrument repair
  • $140,000 cost increases for energy, transportation and utilities
  • $300,000 for technology

LeBlanc-Esparza explained that bond dollars have previously supported the district’s digital conversion and that not investing in technology would leave secondary students further behind.

The district is estimating the state will fund $52,600,615. While that is an increase from 2016, it requires the school district to reduce the budget by $1.3 million.

Mindful that the district’s greatest gaps in student achievement are at the secondary level, LeBlanc-Esparza focused on making reductions having the least impact on students. The proposed reductions total $1.33 million and include:

  • elimination of the Great Expectations program $255,000
  • salary saving through payroll audit $300,000
  • reduction in discretionary budgets $100,000
  • freeze open positions at district office $150,000
  • elimination of three days (all staff) $525,000

LeBlanc-Esparza hopes to return some of the three days to the 2017-18-school calendar once the legislature has finalized funding for K-12 education. Newberg currently requires more hours of instruction than the state requires. Days are the easiest to return without harm to schools but any reduction must be negotiated contractually.

“The 2017-18 budget must support our progress forward,” said LeBlanc-Esparza. “I am confident we will prepare our students to be successful, contributing citizens of the 21st Century.”

The Budget Committee meets to review school and district budgets next week and will hold its second meeting to approve the budget on May 30th.  The Newberg School Board will hold a public hearing at 6:30 pm on June 13, 2017 and is expected to adopt the budget during its regular meeting that evening.