Grand Forks school and district leaders are actively discussing strategies for implementing budget cuts as they confront a significant deficit of $4.4 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. During a retreat on December 12, 2023, over 40 stakeholders, including administrators, teachers, and School Board members, gathered to deliberate on various approaches to realign the budget. This meeting marks the fourth of five planned retreats aimed at addressing financial challenges within the district.
The discussions revolved around several proposals, including the potential combination of elementary schools, the reduction of courses with low enrollment, and a decrease in student technology services. While the leaders recognized the necessity of these conversations, they also expressed the discomfort of making decisions that would directly impact students and families.
Ali Parkinson, Principal of Discovery Elementary, emphasized the challenges of the situation. “All of us principals have noted that our preference would not be to eliminate any of these things,” she stated. The focus, she said, is on determining what can be supported academically while ensuring sustainability.
Exploring Revenue and Cost Reduction Strategies
Leaders discussed various strategies to address the budget shortfall. On the revenue side, proposals included instituting fees for general education busing, raising athletic fees, and charging students from outside the district for enrollment in courses at the Career Impact Academy.
On the expense side, there were significant discussions about combining elementary schools into K-2 and 3-5 configurations. Principal Kevin Ohnstad of Phoenix Elementary presented the idea but noted that many elementary school leaders oppose it. He cited concerns about community backlash, family logistics, and the potential disruption to neighborhood schools. However, he acknowledged some fiscal advantages, such as increased collaboration among teachers and potential reductions in staffing.
In addition to school combinations, Kris Arason, Principal of Red River High School, suggested cutting elective courses with enrollments traditionally below 15 students. He reassured board members that core classes required for graduation would remain unaffected. Notably, he proposed that any changes regarding course cuts would not take effect until the 2026-2027 school year.
Technological and Extracurricular Adjustments
The discussions also included initiatives to reduce student technology services. Darin King, the district’s IT manager, highlighted the financial burden of maintaining a one-to-one device ratio for students. He proposed transitioning to a one-to-two or one-to-three ratio, which could significantly lower annual upkeep costs from $247,000 to $123,500 for grades three through eight.
Other budgetary considerations involved cuts to elementary intramural sports, reductions in online course enrollments, and adjustments to extracurricular contracts for elementary music teachers. Additionally, the board considered pausing curriculum adoptions for elementary schools.
To quantify the potential financial impacts of these proposals, Business Manager Brandon Baumbach presented a range of savings options, totaling between $4.4 million and $5.34 million. These included:
– Decreasing district-level support services: $544,000 – $655,000
– Closing or combining buildings: $319,000 – $398,000
– Reducing classified staff: $859,000 – $1,050,000
– Decreasing investments in educational technology: $253,000 – $309,000
– Reducing extracurricular activities: $142,000 – $173,000
No official decisions were made during the retreat. Board members discussed the possibility of holding a special meeting in early January to gather public comments before making final decisions. For those wishing to engage in the budget realignment process, district leaders have directed the public to the dedicated budget section on the district’s website.
