SPRINGFIELD – This Thursday, Springfield Public Schools will present its proposed 2026–27 operating budget to the Budget Committee.
The District is working to address a $7.9 million budget deficit for the upcoming school year, and the proposed budget reflects months of analysis, planning, and community engagement, according to Chakris Kussalanant, communications manager for SPS.
“Developing this budget has required careful consideration and difficult decisions,” said Jodi O’Mara, acting superintendent. “At its core, this budget is about people: our students, our families, and the educators and staff who support them each day. It is also a call to action. While we have worked diligently to align resources with our priorities, a significant gap remains between what our students need and what the current funding level provides.”
SPS continues to face financial challenges driven by reduced revenue, declining enrollment, and rising operational costs, like many other districts across Oregon.
To align staffing with declining enrollment and meet budget requirements, SPS is proposing significant staffing reductions compared to the 2025-26 adopted budget.
“These reductions carry meaningful consequences,” O’Mara said. “They will affect class sizes, student supports, and our overall operational capacity. While we have worked to prioritize classroom instruction and minimize the impact on students, reductions of this scale will be felt across the system.”
Proposed staffing reductions include 60.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions for certified staff, 22.6 FTE positions for classified staff, and 13.5 FTE position reductions for administrative staff. These reductions reflect a combination of adjustments already made during the 2025-26 school year, enrollment-driven staffing changes, and proposed reductions for the 2026-27 school year.
The District has worked to prioritize student-facing services wherever possible; however, officials note that reductions of this extent will inevitably impact the overall student experience, including reduced program capacity, larger class sizes, and fewer support staff.
The budget committee consists of five community members and five board members. They can meet up to three times in May to approve the budget. The first budget committee meeting is on Thursday, May 7, the next is on May 14, and a third, if needed, is scheduled for May 21, all at 6 p.m. The Board must adopt a budget by June 30.
