Oregon superintendents warn of steep K–12 budget cuts, urge review of state funding formula

Four Oregon school district superintendents warned that looming state funding reductions will force staffing cuts and larger class sizes and urged a review of the state funding formula to protect student services.

Steve Cook, superintendent of Bend‑La Pine Schools; Bret Champion, superintendent of the Medford School District; Sandy Husk, interim superintendent of Portland Public Schools; and Andrea Castañeda, superintendent of Salem‑Keizer Public Schools (Salem‑Keizer SD 24J), delivered the joint appeal. They said state economic projections point to budget reductions that will hit districts this and next year.

The superintendents cited projections they said came from state economists: a roughly 3% cut in the upcoming year followed by about a 7% reduction the year after, which they said could translate to "almost 200 positions" lost statewide if those cuts take effect. "We are preparing for painful cuts in our district," Castañeda said.

The officials gave district‑level examples of the harm they expect. "In our budget we are cutting $7.5 million, which is 32.5 positions or 2.5% of our workforce this year," Cook said about Bend‑La Pine Schools, adding that the district expects classroom sizes to grow and behavioral supports to be reduced at some high‑need elementary schools. Castañeda said Salem‑Keizer is cutting $70 million from its budget — "it's over 400 positions," she said — and warned that the reductions come at a time when student needs "already outstrip our available resources."

They framed the reductions as a threat to academic and mental health supports and urged that the conversation be about finding solutions rather than assigning blame. "This is a terrible and devastating heartbreaking moment for us, and it is not one we're using to levy blame; it's one that we're using to ask for help," Castañeda said.

The superintendents asked state leaders and local stakeholders to "look carefully at our state funding formula and protect what matters most in our communities: our schools and our young people," Cook said. They called for collaboration to preserve classroom supports and to give districts a chance to sustain services as needs grow.

No formal policy action or specific legislative proposal was announced during these remarks; the superintendents presented the figures and appealed for attention from policymakers and community partners. The remarks closed with a request for collective action to reconsider state investment in public education and a thank you from the speakers.