School budget cuts in Astoria draw concerns from parents and staff

The Astoria School District is facing a tough budget season.

At the district’s first budget meeting on Wednesday, parents and staff turned out to voice their concerns about cuts to staffing, programming and curriculum adoptions, an emotional discussion reflective of similar debates playing out statewide.

Between enrollment declines, insufficient state funding, the sunsetting of federal coronavirus pandemic relief funds and heightened student needs, school districts are struggling to make their budgets pencil out. Portland Public Schools and Salem-Keizer Public Schools are projecting substantial shortfalls, while the Bethel School District in Eugene has announced that it will close an entire school amid funding difficulties.

In Astoria, the school district has seen a decline of 64 students over the past four years, impacting the district’s allocation from the State School Fund. Superintendent Craig Hoppes explained that even with all of the other contributing factors to the budget situation, the state’s funding mechanism does not sustain current service models in Astoria and statewide.

“If we didn’t have the pandemic, we would have more budget cuts, because the state of Oregon continues to not fund education like they should,” Hoppes said to a full room of people on Wednesday night. “And I’m glad people are here and I hope we debate and talk about the different reductions. But I hope there’s just as much energy and organization into us advocating in Salem for money for K-12 schools.

“It can’t continue like this. These reductions are bad. They’re hard. And if we have to do this for two or three more years in a row, it’s going to be devastating to this district.”

Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, has discussed the need for changes to the state’s approach to budgeting for public education. Before the pandemic, state lawmakers approved the Student Success Act, which imposed a corporate activity tax to help generate more than $1 billion a year for schools, and last year lawmakers signed off on a record $10.2 billion for schools over the two-year budget cycle.

The Oregon School Boards Association and many educators, however, have said the record spending is not enough.

Draft budget

The draft budget in Astoria for the upcoming fiscal year in July includes reductions to 23 positions, including teachers, instructional assistants and on-track coaches. With retirements, resignations and U.S. Coast Guard families leaving the school district, however, Hoppes estimates that three to five staff members are likely to lose their jobs.

As a result of staff reductions, Spanish will no longer be offered at Astoria Middle School. Cuts will also impact physical education classes at the middle school, delay the adoption of a science curriculum for middle and high school students and eliminate a districtwide social and emotional learning coordinator position.

Many of the impacted positions were paid for out of federal stimulus funds, or the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, which expires in September. Others have been eliminated due to added positions elsewhere. The school district plans to add several special education roles, as well as an attendance support position in an attempt to curb student absenteeism.

“During the 2023-24 school year, the district added numerous positions based on the increased need to support special education,” Hoppes said. “The uptick in special ed needs for the 2024-25 school year remains constant.”

Several district staff members spoke with concerns about the impact of the cuts. Felina Hearring is a job trainer specialist at Astoria High School, a position listed for elimination, though Hoppes said the decision is still being evaluated. Hearring explained that she works with students with significant disabilities to help them transition into the workforce.

“I received my letter last week that that position is going to be cut,” Hearring said. “My position is unique on campus. I am the one who is taking our most vulnerable students out to gain work experience as part of our transition program. So I felt the need to explain to you guys what that is, so you understand what that position means and what it will look like if it is gone.”

Olivia Bailey, a science teacher at Astoria Middle School, spoke critically about the decision to delay implementation of a new science curriculum. Hoppes explained that the school district plans to prioritize implementation of an early literacy curriculum, part of a statewide priority to align literacy instruction with the science of reading.

“I’m advocating today that (the science curriculum) is something that should be prioritized and funded,” Bailey said. “Our students want to be challenged. They want to get outside and they want to do real science. Without the resources, I’m concerned that opportunities like the ones I am dreaming about will not end up being offered to students.”

Impact

Several parents spoke about the elimination of Spanish classes at Astoria Middle School.

“The students currently in seventh grade Spanish class were promised two years of Spanish before they reached high school, which would give them a foreign language high school credit,” said Karen Lindstrom-Allen, a parent. “My daughter is one of those students. Now they will have a gap year … Having a gap in that learning will not be beneficial.”

Another parent, Ashlee Myers, who is also a school counselor in the Warrenton-Hammond School District, stressed the importance of staff consistency and programs such as Spanish in keeping students engaged in school.

“The consistency for the kids, of knowing that this teacher is going to be here next year, or this program is going to be here next year, is super important too in talking about attendance,” Myers said. “We, also, in the Warrenton district, are having attendance concerns with students, but we know that the structure and the consistency builds that, so hopefully you wouldn’t have to bring in attendance people. So I’m a little frustrated.”

Hoppes emphasized that the budget is subject to change as the school district continues to evaluate staffing and the budget committee debates the reductions. The final budget will need to be approved by the school board.

“This is our best plan as of right now,” he said.