Discussions among leaders of the Grand Forks School District focused on potential budget cuts during a retreat on December 12, 2023. With a projected deficit of $4.4 million for the 2025-2026 budget, more than 40 district leaders, including principals, teachers, and School Board members, gathered to strategize on how to align spending with academic priorities.
The retreat was the fourth of five planned sessions aimed at addressing the district’s financial challenges. During the discussions, school leaders highlighted the uncomfortable nature of making cuts but recognized the necessity of the process. “All of us principals have noted that our preference would not be to eliminate any of these things,” said Ali Parkinson, principal of Discovery Elementary. She emphasized the need to consider what can be sustained while still meeting academic goals.
Exploring Revenue and Cost Reduction Strategies
Several ideas emerged regarding how to balance the budget. On the revenue side, leaders discussed the potential implementation of fees for general education busing, increasing athletic fees, and charging out-of-district students for enrollment in courses at the Career Impact Academy.
Conversely, proposed cost reductions included combining elementary schools and cutting classes with low enrollment. Kevin Ohnstad, principal of Phoenix Elementary, presented the concept of merging schools into K-2 and 3-5 configurations. He noted that elementary leaders largely opposed this approach, citing concerns about community backlash and the impact on neighborhood schools. Ohnstad acknowledged the potential advantages, such as promoting grade-level collaboration among teachers and reducing staffing costs, but stressed the need for careful consideration of the implications.
Another proposal involved reducing elective courses traditionally seeing low enrollment. Kris Arason, principal of Red River High School, indicated that classes with fewer than 15 students might be targeted for cuts. He assured board members that essential classes required for graduation would remain intact, thus preserving students’ academic opportunities.
Technology and Staffing Challenges
Technology services also came under scrutiny during the retreat. Darin King, the district’s IT manager, discussed the financial burden of maintaining a one-to-one device ratio for students. He suggested a shift to a one-to-two or one-to-three ratio, which could significantly reduce annual upkeep costs from $247,000 to $123,500 for students in grades three through eight. King emphasized that any technology policies should be sustainable and scalable for the district’s future.
In addition to these measures, leaders contemplated cutting elementary intramural sports, reducing the number of students enrolled in online courses, and pausing curriculum adoptions for elementary schools.
To quantify the financial impact of these proposals, Brandon Baumbach, the district’s Business Manager, provided a range of potential savings. The options discussed could yield savings 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
– Decreasing classified staff: $859,000 – $1,050,000
– Reducing investments in educational technology: $253,000 – $309,000
– Decreasing extracurricular activities: $142,000 – $173,000
– Adjusting employee compensation: $0
No formal decisions were made during the retreat, as the discussions were intended to gather input and ideas. Board members plan to hold a special meeting in early January to allow for public comments before making any final decisions. For further information, district leaders encourage the community to visit the budget realignment section on the district’s website.
